


Out of Time

by buckyismymainman



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Blood, Canonical Character Death, Cussing, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, More tags to be added, Polyamory, Sex Mentions, Slight Smut, Spoilers, The the third part will be from what happens after TWS to after IW, Then we'll move into the more modern era ending with TWS, This is going to be done in parts, Violence, not a Stucky fic, the first part will be the forties
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-09-22 22:56:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 40
Words: 86,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17068763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckyismymainman/pseuds/buckyismymainman
Summary: Mina Gaspari and Bucky Barnes fell in love before World War II started, but then the fighting started and Bucky had to leave.  Mina joined Steve in the army and fought alongside him, saving Bucky from HYDRA.  Then Bucky fell from a train and Mina soldiered on, needing to finish what he had started.When Steve crashed Red Skull's plane into the Arctic Mina was with him, both of them lost to the world.Woken up nearly seventy years later the two friends lean on one another to help them through the change.  Then the impossible happened, and they learned that Bucky was alive, and not only that, but he is being controlled by the same organization they thought they had destroyed.  Can the two of them rescue their friend or are they simply out of time?





	1. Chapter 1

World War II has been going on for nearly three years now.  America is determined not to get into that fight, but they’re about to be pulled in whether they liked it or not.

All was mostly calm in the world, some trouble brewing in Europe, but no one could possibly predict what was about to happen. What chaos the world was going to be thrown into and what the events would cause for the future.  Things were going to change drastically for people.

It would usher in a new era of heroes and bring new threats to the world that no ordinary person could take on by themselves.

Our story begins in Brooklyn in 1941 a few months before the attack on Pearl Harbor had America joining the war in Europe.  Two young adults are about to meet for the first time and fall in love with each other.  Fate will be kind for a brief moment before the two are ripped apart. 

The question is: will they be able to find their way back to one another again? 

 

Mina had a secret. 

She wasn’t like normal, good, American folk. She was different, but she kept it secret from people for fear of what they might do to her.  

Her parents knew of her skills but no one else. They had known from an early age what Mina could do, and they told her not to tell another living soul.  They didn’t want the government to get their hands on her and use her for their own purposes.

Mina listened to her parents at first, but then the desire to practice her powers won her over and she started to use them in her room when no one would notice her missing. 

Her flames were her favorite thing that she could do.  Their color matched the color of her eyes, a brilliant turquoise, and no matter what they never burned anything unless she allowed it.  She could also turn invisible which came in handy when she wanted to sneak out her and her parents’ apartment to go be with her friends or to spend time with a boy she knew her parent would never approve of.

Mina was never scared of what people might do to her because of her final ability.  It was like she was a siren out of the old stories from Greece. She could control people if she wished.  Mina didn’t like to use that ability often because it felt wrong to take someone’s free will away like that, but if the circumstances were dire then she would.  She never used it on her parents though, even to change their minds about something she wanted to do. She couldn’t bring herself to use it on them.

They were her parents and she loved and trusted them, it was just sometimes they would get on her nerves when they told her that she couldn’t do something she was really looking forward too.

Sometimes when she was in her room with the shades drawn tight practicing with her powers her mother would walk in and yell at her.  She would tell Mina that someone could still see and that it would put her in danger. 

Mina got better at hiding her talents from even her parents. 

Soon her powers came as naturally as breathing to her and she didn’t have to think twice before using one of her abilities.

When Mina wasn’t using her abilities in secret she worked in her parents' shop, Little Slice of Napoli, one of few pizza shops on this side of Brooklyn.  She liked working for her parents and was happy that they made enough to keep themselves clothed and fed and housed. She couldn’t imagine being a nurse or a dressmaker or even some kind of secretary.

It also gave her more freedom to spend time with her friends whenever she wanted as long as it wasn’t a lunch or dinner rush.

Today was one of those days she decided that she wanted to spend time with her friends rather than helping out in the restaurant, the lunch rush had just ended and Mina needed a break.

“Ma, I’m going with Teresa and Betty to the dressmaker a couple blocks down. I’ll be back in time for the dinner rush,” Mina called as she rushed out the front door of their restaurant. 

Alia Gaspari came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a cloth, a curse rising to her lips. Her daughter tended to be a bit more free-spirited than Alia and Marcus would like, and nothing they did or said could ever change that. 

Betty and Teresa were waiting on the sidewalk, they’re heads bent together as they talked, giggles falling from their lips. “What?” Mina asked as she joined them. 

“Steve’s back,” Teresa jerked her head to the side and Mina looked over to where Steve was sitting on the steps of one of the buildings. He had a beat up sketchpad in front of him and he was tracing something. His blond hair combed back nicely.

Teresa and Betty were certain that Steve had a crush on Mina, but the truth was that Steve thought of Mina as one of his only other friends.  One of the few women that didn’t look at him like he was repulsive because of how sickly he was.

Mina smiled and walked over to where he was seated, “Hi Steve.”

Steve looked up and smiled brightly at Mina, “Mina, hi!”  He stood up, he was just a couple inches taller than Mina. “What’re, uh, what are you doing?”

She smiled at the flustered man before her. She pointed to her friends standing a few feet away, “We’re going dress shopping. I saw you and thought I’d come and say hi. Why don’t you come by the restaurant later and I’ll make you a pizza? You can take it home to that friend of yours… what’s his name?”

“Bucky,” Steve responded. 

Mina nodded, she had seen Bucky a few times.  She thought he was handsome, but they had never actually spoken. “Right….  Well, come on by before the dinner rush around five. I’ll make you something.” 

“Okay,” Steve nodded his head. 

Mina waved goodbye and headed back to her friends. “You know I think he likes you,” Teresa giggled. “He’s always here.”

“Steve?  No,” she shook her head. She knew Steve didn’t like her like that mainly because she had asked once if that’s why he always came around. 

He had told her no that she just lived in the nicer part of Brooklyn and that her parents were among the only people who wouldn’t run him off while he sketched. Plus he told her she was nice to him which most girls weren’t.  That broke Mina’s heart when she heard him say that. She had no idea why anyone wouldn’t be nice to Steve, he was a sweetheart and he gave nice hugs. 

Teresa and Betty didn’t say any more on the subject. They just made their way to the dress shop like they had planned. 

Later that evening when Mina had gotten back from her outing she had begun cleaning tables preparing for the dinner rush. Her parents were in the kitchen discussing things softly in Italian, it was mostly about what they needed to order for the restaurant, but they were also softly discussing the war going on in Europe and wondering if it would affect them in any way. 

The bell on the door chimed and Mina looked up, a smile brightening her face when she noticed Steve poking his head inside. “Steve!”  She heard her parents stop talking as she rushed over to him. Taking him by the hand and dragging him inside, “Come on in! I told Ma and Papá that you might stop by.”

Steve smiled, “Uh Mina, I brought company.”  Steve turned to where Bucky was lingering in the doorway. 

Mina straightened, her eyes widening and her heart beating a bit faster. The two of them stood frozen for a moment, Mina could feel the heat rising to her cheeks.  “Hello,” she stuck out her hand for him to shake. “I’m Mina.”

“James, but—”

“Everyone calls you Bucky,” she finished, a shy smile on her face. “Steve speaks about you a lot.”

Steve watched the two of them, a sly smile on his face. “Where’s Mrs. Gaspari?  I need to thank her for the sandwiches she gave me a few days ago.”

“She’s in the kitchen with Papá, I’ll go get them,” she tore her eyes away from Bucky and rushed to the kitchen.  “Ma, Papá, Steve is here with his friend Bucky.”

“ _ È carino?”   _ Alia asked her daughter.

“Ma!” Mina frowned, “Now is not the time.”

“It is a perfectly acceptable question,” Alia shrugged, unruffled by her daughter’s response.  “You’re getting older, you should start thinking of marr--”

“Ma!”  Mina said a little bit louder, hoping that Steve and Bucky couldn’t hear the conversation.  “Please just start making a pizza for Steve.” She grabbed a glass and filled it with the soda she knew Steve liked.  She turned on her heel and headed back out to the main section of the restaurant.

“Everything okay?”  Steve asked when Mina sat the soda in front of him.

Her cheeks heated and she forced herself not to look at Bucky, “How much did you hear?”

“You evidently didn’t like whatever your mother said to you in Italian,” Bucky commented, his fingers drumming against the table top.  He wanted her to look at him again so he could see those pretty turquoise eyes again.

“It’s nothing,” she murmured.  “Do you want anything to drink?  I know what Steve likes, but I wasn’t sure what you would want.”

“Soda is fine,” he replied.

She nodded and dashed off into the kitchen to grab Bucky’s soda.  Her parents were there fixing the pizza. Her mother grinned at her, but Mina merely ignored the look.  She grabbed the soda and headed back out to the table where the two friends were chatting quietly. “Pizza will be ready in a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Mina,” Steve said before she hurried off to hide in the kitchen with her parents.

Mina paced back and forth as she waited for her parents to finish the pizza, wondering what Steve and Bucky were talking about.  She wanted to peer out at them but resisted the urge to do so.

When the pizza was done Mina hurriedly took it out to them, “Here ya go, enjoy.”

“Hey Mina,” Steve said.

Mina paused and turned back around.  “Yeah, Steve?”

“Care to join us?”  Bucky shot his friend a look, but Steve merely grinned at Mina, hoping she’d say yes.

Mina shook her head, “Oh no, I can’t.  Dinner rush starts in an hour, and I gotta make sure everything is in tip-top shape.”

“No, she doesn’t!” Alia called from the doorway of the kitchen.  “Go ahead and join them!”

Mina shot a glare at her mother and then turned back around to the table where Steve was waiting patiently.  “One slice,” she sighed in defeat as she pulled a chair over. Steve and Alia were clearly happy with her choice, and to be honest, so was Bucky.  


	2. Chapter 2

Bucky wasn’t sure where Steve had gone off too.  The man was always disappearing on Bucky and it drove him wild.  He wandered up and down the streets of Brooklyn checking every back alley and stoop there was looking for his friend.  He even asked some of the people he asked if they had seen his wayward friend.

None of them had until he came upon an older man, “Yeah, he’s down there by the Gaspari’s pizza restaurant.  I saw him talking to the daughter not ten minutes ago.”

Bucky was relieved that his friend was all right and not bleeding out in an alley somewhere.  He thanked the gentleman and raced off toward Little Slice of Napoli. He had become familiar with Steve’s habit of going there and sitting a few doors down.  Bucky wasn’t quite sure what his fascination was with the place, but he had a feeling it had to do with the Gaspari girl.

He found Steve sitting on the same stoop Mina had found him on ten minutes beforehand.  Bucky slowed and took a seat beside him. “I have been all over Brooklyn looking for you, punk.”  He wrapped an arm around Steve’s shoulders.

Steve looked up at Bucky and chuckled, “Well you found me.”

“I thought I was going to find you being beaten up in some back alley, but instead you're out here sketching….”  He looked down and saw that Steve was sketching a picture of a very pretty girl. “Some random dame I’ve never seen before.”

“This is Mina Gaspari,” Steve announced.  “She’s the girl I’m always telling you about.  You’d like her, Buck. She’s nice.”

“Just nice?”  Bucky arched an eyebrow.

Steve shook his head, “I don’t like her like that Buck, trust me.  She’s just a very good friend.” Steve bent his head again and began working on the sketch.  “She’s invited me to get pizza tonight. Her parents like to feed me, her mom says I’m too small.”  Bucky agreed with the woman, but no matter what Steve tried he just couldn’t put on weight. “You should come with me so that you can officially meet Mina.”

“I don’t know, Steve,” Bucky wasn’t sure he wanted to meet this Mina person.  He had a lot on his plate as it was and he didn’t want to ruin Steve’s friendship with the girl.

“Please,” Steve said.  “I really want you to meet her.”

Bucky gave his friend a skeptical look, “Are you trying to do something?”

Steve feigned innocence, “What would I be trying to do?”  

“All right, I’ll join you, but don’t try and set me up with this girl, Rogers.  I don’t need a date, taking care of you is a full-time job.”

Steve lightly pushed Bucky, “Whatever.  Just meet me here at five okay?”

Bucky nodded and stood up, “What are you going to do all day?”

He shook his little notebook, “I’m going to draw for the rest of the day.  I promise not to get into any trouble while you’re away.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Bucky grumbled as he took off down the street.

 

He didn’t know why he had put on his best clothes when he went to meet Steve at Little Slice of Napoli.  He straightened his shirt and ran a hand through his hair nervously. He hadn’t even met the woman yet and he was already nervous.

Steve looked up when he heard footsteps approaching and he smiled when he saw his friend fussing over how he looked.  “Nervous?”

“Shut up,” Bucky frowned, but there was a light in his eyes that told Steve he wasn’t angry.

“Come on, she’ll be expecting us.”  Steve pushed open the door and stepped inside the room.

“Steve!”  The bright, chipper voice caught Bucky off guard.  He stepped inside and saw a dark haired girl with the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.  Steve’s drawing didn’t do her justice at all.

She took notice of Bucky and froze.  Steve introduced them and he wasn’t surprised to find that Steve had already to her his name.  She said something to Steve and rushed into the kitchen.

Steve was smirking at Bucky, “I think she likes you.”

Bucky glared at Steve, “A little warning would have been nice, punk.”

“You saw my drawing!”  Steve argued. Mina emerged and handed Steve his drink. She asked Bucky what he wanted and then disappeared again.

“I’m going to marry that woman someday,” Bucky murmured as he watched the way her hips swayed, how she carried herself.

Steve snickered but didn’t say anything else. He had hoped this would be Bucky’s reaction.  Mina came back with Bucky’s drink.

Next Mina brought out the pizza, she looked antsy like she wanted to be anywhere but at their table. “Hey Mina,” Bucky didn’t like the mischievous glint in Steve’s eye.

Mina was already heading back to the kitchen when Steve called out to her. She paused, “Yeah, Steve?”

“Care to join us?”

Bucky’s face paled and he almost kicked Steve under the table but resisted the urge.  “Oh no, I can’t. Dinner rush starts in an hour, and I gotta make sure everything is in tip-top shape.”  Bucky could tell she was tripping over her words, obviously just as anxious as he was.

“No, she doesn’t!” An older woman, probably the Mrs. Gaspari that Steve spoke highly of, poked her head out of the kitchen. “Go ahead and join them!”

Mina looked back at her mother, Bucky noticing how she caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “One slice,” she sighed as she pulled a little chair over so she could join them.

Steve let Mina choose the slice first, she picked one of the smaller slices, saving the bigger ones for Bucky and Steve. “How did dress shopping go with your friends?”

“It went well. Teresa got a new dress, but Betty and I didn’t find anything,” she took a bite of her piece of pizza and chewed carefully trying to think of something to say. “Did you finish your sketch?”

Steve nodded eagerly, “I did, would you like to see?”

The smile Bucky has seen when they had first arrived was there again, her nerves momentarily forgotten. “Please!”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the sketch of her he had been working on when Bucky found him. “It’s something I’ve been working on for a couple weeks now.”

Her eyes lit up, her smile turning shy.  “I love it, Steve.”

“You can keep it,” Steve told her.

“I’ll put it with the others, or maybe I’ll frame this one.”

Bucky looked between the two of them, “You have others?”

For the first time in several very long minutes Mina looked at him, “Steve has gifted me several of his sketches.  I keep them in a notebook upstairs.”

Steve continued to talk, he was the one carrying the conversation.  Mina and Bucky would glance at one another occasionally when they thought the other wasn’t looking. Steve was growing frustrated with them but he knew this would probably take time.

Alia brought out a cardboard box for the leftover pizza and said hello to Steve and introduced herself to Bucky. “Be good Steve,” Mina pulled him into a hug. “No back alley heroics.”

Bucky’s head jerked up, but he kept his mouth shut. They said their final goodbyes and were out the door.

 

Bucky stood in front of Little Slice of Napoli two days later. His hands shoved into his pockets. He could see Mina inside, a broom in hand. She twirled around as if she were dancing to music he couldn’t hear.

She spun in a circle and can to a stop in front of the window. She had a dreamy sort of smile on her face and it faltered when she noticed Bucky.

Both of them were just staring at one another not moving. Bucky wasn’t even sure he was breathing.

She turned a moved toward the door. She pulled it open gently, “Are you coming in or are you going to continue to stand on the sidewalk and gawk at me through the window?”

He wasn’t sure where her fiery spirit had been last night but he liked it. He chuckled, “I guess I’m coming in, but only if I get a turn at spinning you around the dance floor.”  He noticed her cheeks heating and he flashed her a grin.

She cleared her throat and stepped out of the way so he could get inside, “Where’s Steve?”

“He wasn’t feeling that great today, my ma is watching over him to make sure nothing serious is going on.”  Mina could see the worry on Bucky’s face, and she knew that Bucky really did care for Steve.

“He means a lot to you doesn’t he?”  She leaned on her broom, the two of them still standing in the entryway of the restaurant.

“He’s like my brother, I’d do anything for him,” Bucky told her.

Mina leaned her broom against the wall and held out a hand to Bucky.  He stared at it for a moment before looking up and meeting her eyes. She was smiling at him, “I wasn’t sure about you, Bucky Barnes.  But I think you’ve earned a dance.”

His heart stuttered in his chest, but he took her hand, pulling her into his arms, her free hand resting on his shoulder.  “May I ask why you weren’t sure about me?”

She looked up at him as he gently spun her around the room, careful to miss the tables.  “I’ve seen you around before. Flirting with the girls, you seem like you fancy yourself a lady’s man.”

“I will admit, I’ve always been popular, but I’m not as bad as you think.  I just hadn’t found the right girl yet,” he told her.

“Oh?  And do you think you’ve finally found her?”  There was a twisting feeling in her chest, but she kept her voice light.

Marcus and Alia looked out and saw their daughter dancing with Steve’s friend.  Alia smiled excitedly at the prospect that her daughter finally had taken notice of a boy.  Bucky hadn’t noticed them or if he had he didn’t care that they were spying on him and Mina. “Yeah, I think I have.”

“Well congratulations Mr. Barnes,” Mina pulled away and it took all she could do to keep her composure.  “I’m sure Steve’s happy, he’s been trying to find a good match for you since the first time I met him.”

Bucky grinned and shook his head, he reached out and gently pulled Mina back into his arms.  Her eyes widening slight, “It’s you, Mina Gaspari.” Her breath hitched. “Would you like to go out with me tonight?”

“She’d love too!”  Alia said excitedly.

Mina turned her head, “Ma!   _Smetti di spiare!_ ”

Alia threw up her hands and headed back into the kitchen.  Bucky laughed, “So I know I have your mother’s approval, but what about you, Miss Gaspari?  Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to a movie?”

She chewed on her lip, “I don’t know.  I have work tonight, and then I have to prepare for--”

“Mina,” her father said in exasperation.  “Your mother and I were managing this restaurant long before you came along.  Go, have fun. Lord knows you need some excitement in your life.” He turned and also headed back into the kitchen, wanting to give his daughter some privacy.

Mina looked at Bucky who was only paying attention to her, his eyes full of hope.  “All right, I’ll go out with you.”

“Great!”  He kissed her cheek and raced toward the door, “I’ll be back at five!”  With that, he was out the door and racing down the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story will be updated on Fridays. I hope you all liked the first two chapters!


	3. Chapter 3

Clothes littered the floor of Mina’s bedroom, the drawers of her dresser flung open haphazardly as she looked for anything to wear.  Betty and Teresa were beside her, helping her look for something pretty to wear. 

“Why is this so hard?”  She sighed as she sat down on her bed.

Betty and Teresa smiled at one another, they had never seen their friend so bent out of shape over a boy before.  Betty stepped forward and sat beside Mina. “Do you want to go back to the dress shop? You were looking at that one dress that was a little higher priced than you would have liked.  We can help you buy it.”

Mina took her friend’s hand and squeezed it.  “Thank you, but I can’t ask you to do that.”

“Yes, you can!”  Teresa came to stand in front of her.  “You have a date with the most eligible bachelor in all of Brooklyn!   _ This  _ is a perfect opportunity to blow our money and get that dress!”

“What dress?”  Her mother entered the room, flour on her apron.  She had come to check on the girls and see how their mission of finding a dress was coming along. 

“When we were at the dress shop the other day Mina saw this gorgeous dress that would have looked wonderful on her, but it was a little higher priced for us.  We were just telling her that she should go back and get it, that we would help her buy it.”

“But she’s refusing our money,” Teresa pouted.

“Because it’s not fair of me to ask that of you,” Mina said.  “Why should you spend your money on me?”

“Think of it as an early birthday and Christmas gift,” Teresa said.  “That way you don’t feel as bad.”

Mina looked back and forth between her friends, “Are you sure?”

“Yes!”  The two girls said eagerly.

Mina stood up, “All right then, let’s go!”  She eagerly grabbed her friends’ hands and pulled them from her room.  “I’ll be back, Ma!”

“Have fun,” her mother called after them.

The girls made it to the dress shop and luckily found the dress waiting there for them.  Mina moved toward it as if she were in a trance. The dress was a navy blue with an intricate lace design and a sweetheart neckline.  The dress would reach her knees and the sleeves weren’t too long, perfect for the midsummer month that they were in now. Mina toyed with the fabric for a moment before pulling it off the rack and heading over to her friends who were talking with one of the salesladies.

“She has a date tonight,” Betty was explaining excitedly.  “We thought it was best she get a new dress for the occasion.”

The saleslady smiled, “A date is a perfect excuse to buy a new dress.”  She took the garment from Mina and began preparing it for Mina. She told them the price of the dress and the girls divided up their money.  Once the lady had the dress placed in a nice box she handed it over and wished them all a good day, and good luck on the date.

Mina thanked her and followed her friends back to her home so she could begin to prepare for that evening.

 

“I did it, Stevie,” Bucky said as he entered the room where Steve was resting.  “I asked Mina out. I’m picking her up around five this evening.”

Steve gave Bucky a weak smile, “Good for you pal, where are you taking her?”

“The movies, there are a few playing and I thought it’d be a good first date,” he sat on the edge of Steve’s bed.  “What are you going to be doing tonight, punk?”

“Laying in bed and praying for death,” Steve joked.  He coughed and bucky passed him the glass of water his mother had left for Steve.

“Come on now, who’s gonna be my best man at my wedding if you up and die on me?” 

“You haven’t even been on one date with Mina and you’re already hearing wedding bells?  I knew you fell fast Buck, but never this fast,” Steve grinned at his friend.

“Okay, okay you can find this funny all you want, but I think this could be the start of something beautiful and I know Ma will love her, and so will Becca.”

“Who will I love, Bucky?”  As if summoned by her name, Bucky’s younger sister waltzed into the room.  She was in her late teens, four years younger than Bucky.

“His girlfriend,” Steve said as he looked over at Rebecca.

Rebecca’s eyes lit up and she rushed over to her brother, “Who is she?  Do I know her? It’s not that Dot girl you met at Coney Island right?” For reasons unknown Rebecca never cared for Dot.

“No it’s not Dot, Becs,” Bucky ruffled her hair causing her to huff in annoyance.  He knew he would get an earful later for messing up her hair, but right now he didn’t care.  “Her name is Mina and her parents own a pizza restaurant.”

“Can I meet her?”

“Can I go on my first date with her first?”  Bucky fired back.

Rebecca eyed her brother.  “Fine, but I want to meet this one, I need to give my approval.”

“Give your approval of what, Becca?”  Winifred Barnes stepped into the room carrying some soup for Steve.

“Bucky has a girlfriend,” Rebecca said before Bucky could get a word in.  “And I told him that I had to give my approval before he decided anything about her.”

“Too late for that,” Steve snickered.

Bucky smacked his leg which earned him a disapproving look from his mother.  “What do you mean, Steve?” Rebecca scrunched her eyebrows together.

“He’s already decided that he wants to marry this girl, so you better hope and pray you like her, Becs.”

Winifred almost dropped the spoon she was holding, “James Buchanan Barnes please tell me you didn’t get this girl pregnant!”

Bucky paled and Steve began to laugh, Rebecca looked scandalized.  “Jesus, Ma! I just met her yesterday.”

Winifred let out a sigh of relief, “Thank God, when Steve said you were already planning on marrying the girl I thought you’d gone and done something indecent.”  She placed her hands on her hips, she had blue eyes just like her son. Bucky was thankful that he hadn’t gotten his father’s brown eyes like Rebecca had. “So tell me, what makes this girl so special that you’ve already got a wedding planned?”

Bucky wrung his hands nervously, not quite sure what to tell his mother.  “It’s just a gut feeling. Steve seems to think we’ll be good together.”

Steve nodded his head, “I’m the one that set them up.”

“Well if Steve has her approval then she mustn’t be so bad!”  Rebecca chimed in.

“When are you seeing the girl again?”  His mother asked shooing Rebecca out of the room.  “And what’s her name?”

“Mina Gaspari, and he’s seeing her again tonight.  They’re gonna go see a movie together,” Steve filled in for him.

“Steve, I think I can answer these questions.  I am the one going out tonight,” Buky shot his friend a look.  

“Wait, Gaspari?  Do her parents own the pizza restaurant named Little Slice of Napoli?”

“They do,” Bucky answered.

Winifred smiled, her son had finally met a nice girl.  “I’ve met her once before. Your father and I went there for our anniversary last year, she waited on us.  Such a lovely girl, beautiful too.”

“I knew you’d approve Mrs. Barnes,” Steve told her.  “I thought they’d be perfect together myself. Been trying to introduce them for months now.”

Bucky stood up abruptly, “I need to get dressed, I need to leave in a little bit.”  He hurried out of the room with Steve and his mother still talking about Mina as he left.  Rebecca was in Bucky’s room when he arrived, “Becca, would you please get out? I need to change.”

“I know,” she said cheerily.  She stood up and handed him a necktie, “I saw it the other day and thought of you.  I know you needed a new tie.”

Bucky took the slip of fabric and looked over the navy blue necktie with a slightly floral pattern.  Bucky pulled his sister in for a hug, “Thank you, Becs.”

She squeezed her brother back, “Any time, Bucky.”  She pulled away and turned toward his dresser. It wasn’t filled with much, but she managed to find a nice shirt and some pants that would go well with his new tie.  “Wear these,” she said as she handed the clothes over to him. “And don’t comb your hair back, you look like a dork.”

“All right, that’s enough out of you,” he pushed her toward his door.  “Thank you for the tie.” He slammed the door shut behind her and let out a little sigh of relief at being alone again.

 

Mina sat at one of the tables in front of the window at the restaurant.  She was watching for Bucky, it was ten to five and she wondered if Bucky would show up early.  Betty and Teresa were sitting a few tables away watching her. They wanted to see Bucky come pick her up for their evening date.

“I still can’t believe Mina actually agreed to go out on a date with him,” Betty whispered.  “She hasn’t been out on a date since Charles almost three years ago.”

Teresa waved her hand, “Charles was an idiot, he doesn’t count.”

“But Mina really liked him,” Betty argued.  “She was heartbroken when he left her for Elizabeth.”

“I can hear the two of you, you know?”  Mina turned her head slightly, a smile playing on her lips.  She knew her friends would have something to say about her lack of a social life in the men department. 

Truth be told she just didn’t think she ever really had the time anymore.  She was always helping her parents or hanging out with Betty and Teresa or some of the girls from her church, but no man had ever really caught her eye.

She had noticed Bucky almost six months ago and wondered who he was.  He had gone running down the street past the restaurant chasing two boys.  That had actually been the first time she had met Steve.

_ Mina was serving someone at one of the window tables when she saw two men go racing by the front of the restaurant, not a moment later another man went running after them.  He looked like he was on a mission and he had to catch up with the two men ahead of him.  _

_ Mina craned her neck trying to see where they went, but they had disappeared from sight.  She went to walk away when she noticed a blond man sitting on the stoop a few feet away. He looked deathly pale and his nose was bleeding pretty badly. _

_ Without thinking Mina rushed outside, “Are you all right?”  She knelt down in front of him, offering up her handkerchief so he could wipe some of the blood away. _

_ The man looked at her in stunned silence for a moment before taking the handkerchief from her, “Thank you, miss.” _

_ She smiled at him, “Mina.” _

_ “Sorry?”   _

_ “My name, it’s Mina.”  She held out her hand for him to take so she could help him up.  He took it and stood, Mina was shocked to see that she was almost as tall as him and she was a little over five feet tall.  “Come inside and we’ll get you cleaned up.” _

_ The two of them headed inside and Mina sat him at a table in the back, closest to the kitchen so she could easily get to him and now have to wade through the tables.  She went into the kitchen, grabbed a towel, the first aid kit, and some water. Her parents watched her, asking if something was wrong, worried that one of their customers had been injured.  She told them not to worry before heading back out to Steve. _

_ He was sitting at the table awkwardly, some people glancing over at him.  Mina paid them no attention as she pulled a chair up in front of Steve. “What’s your name?”  She asked as she handed him over a damp towel. _

_ “Steve Rogers,” he told her.   _

_ She began to wipe away the blood, “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Rogers.” _

_ “Please call me Steve,” he informed her. _

_ She nodded her head and continued to clean, “So what happened to you, Steve?” _

_ “Would you believe me if I said I ran into a brick wall?”   _

_ That made Mina laugh, “No Steve, I would not.  I take it has to do with two of the three men that went running by her a few minutes ago though.” _

_ “It does,” he said.  “But I have a good reason for fighting them.” _

_ Mina’s eyebrows shot up, “Both of them?  Don’t tell me you took on the both of them?” _

_ “I did, they were bullying some poor kid and I stepped in.” _

_ Mina’s brow furrowed, “And what about the third man?” _

_ “Oh, that was my friend Bucky.  He came along and chased them off,” he said. _

_ Mina snorted, “I’m pretty sure this Bucky fellow is still chasing them off.”  She finished cleaning what blood she could off and handed Steve a gauze pad. “Here, take this, it’ll help keep any fresh blood off your clothes.” _

_ “Thank you,” Steve took it and pressed it to his nose.  He was still bleeding, but Mina had gotten it to slow down some. _

_ “Come back by here tomorrow and I’ll make you a pizza for your heroics,” she said as she stood up, clearing away the bloodied clothes and first aid kit.  “It’s the least I could do for a local hero.” _

_ “Are you teasing me?”  Steve asked skeptically.  This was the first time anyone as pretty as her had actually been this kind to him. _

_ “No tricks, Steve.  I promise.” She looked back at the front of the restaurant where she could see his friend looking for him.  He didn’t look like he was in need of medical attention, Mina figured he had handled it. From what she could tell he was very handsome.  “Go, your friend is looking for you. Don’t want him to think you got into another fight.” _

_ Steve chuckled, “Thank you again, Mina.” _

_ “Anytime, Steve.”  She waved goodbye before heading into the kitchen allowing Steve to leave and tell his friend that he was all right. _

Mina had been so lost in thought that she didn’t notice when the little bell on the door rang and Bucky stepped inside.  Betty and Teresa immediately perked up and began giggling as they saw the goofy grin on his face. 

“Mina?”  He asked when he noticed her lost in a daze.  “Mina?” He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She jumped and then realized that it was only Bucky.  “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.” She stood up.

His smile grew when he saw what color she was wearing and how it sort of matched his new tie.  “You look gorgeous.”

Mina felt her cheeks heating up, “Thank you, you don’t look too bad yourself, Barnes.”

He chuckled and held his hand out to her, “You ready to go?”

“I am,” she slipped her hand in his and shot her friends a look before the two of them exited the restaurant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! I thought I'd give you all a little gift and update this early. I'll still update on Friday, but I wanted to post this today.


	4. Chapter 4

“Which movie are you taking me to tonight?”  Mina asked. There wasn’t much playing, but she hadn’t been keeping up with what was in theaters these days.

“Would you mind seeing _Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_?”

“I’d love to see that one,” Mina felt excitement bubble up inside her.  “I loved that book as a teenager. The thought of there being two sides to a person, a good and evil, was truly fascinating.”

The two of them continued down the street to the little theater located there, Bucky bought two tickets and they headed inside to find their seats.  “Can we sit in the back?” He seemed a little shy. “I don’t like being close to the screen.”

“That’s fine,” Mina could feel the butterflies now.  They found their seats in the middle, several people already in the theater waiting for the show to start.  “So why the nickname ‘Bucky’?” His first name was James and she wasn’t sure how he got Bucky from James or Barnes.

“My middle name is Buchanan,” he told her.  “People always called me Bucky as a kid and it kinda stuck.  My mom prefers it to Jim.” He fooled with his tie. “Is Mina short for anything, or is it your full name?”

“It’s my full name.  My mom calls me ‘Mini’ sometimes, but she hasn’t really done that since I was a child.”  She looked over at him, his eyes watching her, “My full name is Mina Danae Gaspari.”

“I like it,” he says, his hand slowly reaching out to hers, his fingers brushing over hers.

She turned her hand over and lightly toyed with his fingers, the two of them not sure whether to make the first move or not.

The lights went down and the movie started, the previews rolling first. Bucky took the chance to slip his fingers through hers, it was dark enough that she couldn’t see his reddening cheeks.

Mina squeezed his hand as if telling him she was happy he had taken her hand.  They sat and watched the movie in silence, Bucky’s thumb idly rubbing the back on Mina’s.  She liked the comforting feeling of holding his hand. How warm it felt.

When the movie was over the two of them joined the small crowd of moviegoers and exited onto the street.  Bucky’s hand was still firmly wrapped around Mina’s. “What did you think of it?” He looked down at her, the crowd thinning out as the people took different streets to get home.

“I liked it,” she smiled up at him.  “It was really good, although I do prefer the book.”

“Of course, the book was so much better.”  The sun was slowly sinking below the buildings.  The restaurant was coming into view. “I had a lot of fun tonight, I’d like to take you out again if that’s all right?”

Mina smiled, “I’d like that too.”  They stopped at the door, neither of them making a move to end the night.  “Do you… do you want to come in and have dinner?”

“I’d love that.”  The two of them entered and Mina gestured for him to take a seat while she went and got the pizza started.  The restaurant was closed at this time. Mina’s parents were waiting upstairs for Mina to return home.

Bucky entered the kitchen and leaned against the counter as he watched Mina begin making the pizza for them.  “Do you want some help?” He asked her.

She looked up as she began to knead the dough.  “If you want to help you can. Just wash your hands before you come anywhere near this food.”

He nodded and moved toward the sink.  When he was done he came to stand behind Mina, his hands sliding over hers and helping her knead the dough.  Mina thought her heart was going to pound out of her chest as she felt Bucky’s warmth seeping through her dress.  His breath tickled her ear and she shivered.

The two of them worked in silence for a few minutes before Mina reached for the roller and began to flatten the dough.  “Should I move?” He whispered as he noticed her having some trouble rolling it out.

She nodded her head, “Please.”

He stepped aside, but still close enough that she would brush his arm every time she moved.  When she had gotten the dough rolled out he helped her with the cheese and the toppings they were going to use.  Mina put it in the oven and stood back. “We make a good team,” she looked back at Bucky who was watching her.

He pulled her into his arms, wanting her close again, “We should do this more often.”

She hummed and rested her head on his chest, “When we eventually do go out again what are we going to go do?”

“How about I take you dancing?”  He would do anything to recreate the scene from earlier that day.

“Okay,” she answered, biting back her growing grin.  

The pizza finished and she pulled it out, putting it on a tray and cutting it into slices.  Bucky carried it out to the table where Mina placed a candle off to the side. The two of them ate several slices.  Each one asking questions about the other.

“I have a younger sister,” Bucky told her as he decided which piece he wanted next.  “Her name is Rebecca, but most people call her Becca. Sometimes I call her Becs. And she has the biggest crush on Steve.”

Mina giggled, “She must be over the moon that he’s currently on bed rest at your house then.”

“Oh you have no idea,” Bucky chuckled.  Ever since Rebecca was a little girl she had been infatuated with Bucky’s best friend.  It was cute, but Steve didn’t return her feelings, plus she was like a little sister to him as well.  “She’s probably keeping him company now.”

“I bet,” Mina said.  “Is Rebecca your only sibling?”

Bucky nodded, “She is.  She’s annoying, but I love her.”  He looked at her, “What about you?  Any siblings?”

She shook her head, “My parents had a hard enough time conceiving me.  They considered me their miracle child, and I was the only one they ever had.”

“I’m sorry,” Bucky said sincerely.

Mina shrugged, “It is what it is.  I would have loved a younger sister, but that just wasn’t in the cards for me.”

They talked a little longer about other subjects like their favorite hobbies and what it had been like growing up in their households as children.  Bucky was interested to see what it was like growing up with Italian parents.

Mina’s parents had emigrated from Napoli in 1913 right before the first world war had broken out.  They had known trouble was brewing and wanted to get to a safer place where they could start their family.

Bucky family had been in America for a few generations and had never really known anything but the American way.  Mina said it had been weird growing up and learning two separate languages while most children only spoke one, but she said it came in handy when you wanted to talk bad about someone without them knowing.

“You should teach me Italian,” Bucky said.  The tray of pizza was practically empty at this point, the street beyond had gone dark.  The two of them not realizing how late it was getting.

“I should, should I?”  She asked with a coy smile.  “Why? So you know what my mother is saying about you?”

“No, so I know what you’re saying about me,” he leaned forward, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

She shook her head, but before she could respond the door to the kitchen opened and Marcus stepped into the restaurant.  “There you are!” He exclaimed.

Mina and Bucky jumped, not expecting the sudden interruption from her father.  “Papá, you scared me.”

Bucky stood, suddenly looking bashful, “I’m sorry sir.  We came here after the movie and Mina made us dinner. I must not have realized how late it was getting.”

Mina stood and put her hand on Bucky’s shoulder, “It’s all right, Bucky.”  

Her father was eyeing the two of them, but Bucky’s story seemed to check out.  Marcus let out a little breath, “It’s fine, just next time let us know you’re home.  We were worried something had happened.”

“I should probably get going anyway, I don’t want to worry my ma or Steve.  Thank you for a lovely evening, Mina. I’ll come by in a few days and see when you’re free again.”

She grabbed his arm and stopped him.  Reaching up on her tiptoes she brushed a kiss to his cheek, “I had a lovely time tonight, Bucky.  Tell Steve that I said hi and that I hope he’s feeling better.”

“I will,” he flashed her one last smile before ducking out of the restaurant and into the night.

Mina turned to her father, “We didn’t do anything inappropriate if that’s what you’re worried about.  He was a perfect gentleman all evening.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” he came over and began to help Mina clean up the table.  “Did you have a nice time?”

She nodded, “I did.  More so than I thought I would.”

“I’m glad,” he smiled at her.  “It’s about time you got out of this place with a boy your own age.”

“Papá,” Mina sighed.  “You’re sounding like Ma.”

“Just because I don’t bring it up like your mother doesn’t mean that I don’t worry too.  But I know you’re a strong woman, and that when your ready you’ll do what’s right for you.”  He pulled her in for a hug and kissed her head. “I love you, _topolina.”_

Mina groaned at the nickname, “We’re really bringing that nickname back?”

“Let me be sentimental,” Marcus argued.  “You’re all grown up and seeing someone. Soon you’ll be gone with your own home and children.  For right now let me enjoy you being my _topolina.”_

“All right, I’ll allow it, but just this once,” she pointed a finger at him and made him laugh.

“You have a deal,” he disappeared into the kitchen with the leftover food while Mina straightened up the dining room.  Before long she was upstairs and preparing for dinner. Her evening with Bucky replaying in her mind like a beautiful dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope all of you are enjoying this story. I'm having a blast writing it. And I must warn you it's gonna get really angsty in later chapters, so enjoy the fluff while it lasts. You've been warned. Also, I'm going to start updating on Tuesday as well as Friday.


	5. Chapter 5

Betty and Teresa were over at Mina’s bright and early, ready to hear all about her date with Bucky the previous evening.  Mina discovered them in the restaurant right as she came down to begin her shift.

She had been tying her apron on when she saw them sitting by the windows, just a few seats away from where she and Bucky had shared dinner together the night before.  They were eyeing the door waiting for her to come through it. Their faces lit up the moment she did and they eagerly waved her over.

“I can’t do this now,” she told them.  “I’ve got customers.” There weren’t that many people there, just a few men on their lunch break.  They were regulars and would sometimes take food back to their jobs for their coworkers to share.

“Come on,” Betty whined.  “Have your mom see to them, I’m sure your dad can handle the kitchen by himself.  We want to hear all about your date with James!”

“Give me ten minutes,” she pleaded. 

Betty and Teresa pouted but didn’t complain. Mina took that as a good sign and hurried over to the first table. She offered the men a smile and wrote down their order. 

She flitted from table to table taking their orders and bringing them out once they were ready. When everyone was taken care of she joined her friends at their table.  They were on the edge of their seats waiting for her return. 

“All right, we want to know how your date went,” Teresa gushed. “Did you kiss?”

Mina choked on air, “On the first date?!”

“What?”  Teresa looked sheepish as Mina and Betty gave her a look of shock. “He’s adorable, I’d kiss him.”

Mina shook her head, not surprised by her friend's antics.  “I kissed his cheek at the end of the night, but that’s the only thing I did….”

Betty turned her attention back to Mina, “Na-uh, something else happened.  Tell us,” she prompted. 

“We held hands and he wants to take me dancing soon,” she couldn’t hold back grin anymore. 

The girls have a dreamy sort of sigh. “You are so lucky,” Betty sighed. “I’d love to go dancing with a man again, but I’m having to live vicariously through you.”

Mina chuckled, “I’m sure Bucky could arrange for you and Steve to go dancing with us.”

Betty made a face, “I don’t know, Mina. Steve’s not really… my type.”

It was Mina’s turn to make a face, “What’s wrong with Steve?”

Betty hesitated, “Nothing… it’s just that Steve, is uh, well he's small.”

Teresa also looked a little guilty, “He’s also not very healthy.”

Mina glared at her friends, “So?  Steve is a wonderful man. He’s kind, caring, and he has a good heart.”  She stood up, “I need to get back to work. This conversation is over.” She stormed into the kitchen, her mind racing.  She knew that was how most women saw Steve, but she figured her friends would be different.  They had gotten to know him just like she had and she figured they wouldn't mind a date with him even if he was small and had health issues.

That evening after most people had left she got a visit from the man in question.  He looked a bit pale, but she was relieved to see him up and about. “Hi Mina,” he took a seat at one of the tables.  

“Your usual?”  She asked, turning to head back into the kitchen.

“No,” he said causing her to stop.  “I was just in the neighborhood and wanted to say hello.”

Mina put her hands on her hips and grinned at him, “You wanted to hear about my date with Bucky last night, don’t you?”

Steve’s cheeks turned pink, “Maybe.”

Mina pulled out a chair and sat across from him, “You’re not the only person who came by to see how it went.”

“Oh?  Were Betty and Teresa here?”  He perked up a little.

“For a little while, yes.”  She fidgeted in her seat, she didn’t really want to talk about her friends with Steve, not after what they had said about him.  “So what did Bucky tell you?”

“I can’t really disclose that now can I?”  He grinned at her. “Friend to friend confidentiality.”

“So are you telling me that whatever I tell you right here, right now will stay between the two of us?”  She arched an eyebrow, he started to squirm a little.

“Uh yeah,” he cleared his throat.  “Yes it, uh, will.”

Mina smirked, “Did Bucky send you here to find out what I thought?”

“Maybe,” he murmured.

“Is he out there right now waiting for you?”

“Maybe.”  Mina stood up and headed for the door.  “Mina wait!” Steve scrambled after her, but he wasn’t quick enough.

Mina exited the restaurant and saw Bucky standing on the stoop where Steve liked to sketch during the day.  He heard the door open and turned, assuming that it was Steve coming out with news. His face went pale when he saw Mina heading his way instead.  “Oh, uh, hey Mina, fancy running into you here.” He tried to play it off as cool, but he was failing miserably, his cheeks were tinged pink and he ran his hand through his hair.

“Save it, Steve already told me you sent him,” she grabbed his shirt and tugged him a bit closer before wrapping her arms around his neck, trapping him so he couldn’t run away.  She liked the way he squirmed uncomfortably. “If you wanted to know what I thought then you could have just asked me yourself.”

“I, uh, I didn’t think you’d actually tell me what you thought,” he confessed.

“How about this?”  Mina said as she backed away from him, causing him to let out a little sigh of relief.  “You take me dancing Friday night and I tell you about how I think our date went?” 

“You’ve got yourself a deal, doll.”  She smiled at him, warmth spreading through her at the new pet name he had given her.  “I’ll pick you up around five again?”

“Sounds like a plan.”  She turned to head back inside, but she stopped and looked back at Bucky, “Oh, and next time don’t send Steve to ask me questions, the poor man can’t keep a straight face to save his life.”

“Hey!”  Steve complained.

Mina flashed him a smile and waved at the two of them before she opened the door and entered the restaurant again.

 

Friday evening Bucky arrived at her door, earlier than she had anticipated, but she was excited as well.  Mina's mother was fussing over her, her hair flowing down her black in curls.  She was wearing a black dress with peach colored flowers crawling up from the bottom of the dress on the left side.  It had belonged to Alia, and she wanted Mina to wear it for her date that evening.

“Ma!  Please stop hovering.”  Mina waved her mother away, but Alia was not deterred.  She wanted to make sure not a hair was out of place. “Ma, he’ll be here soon!”

Bucky smiled as he heard her yelling at her mother from the kitchen, the sound of her heels getting closer to the dining area. When the door opened she took Bucky’s breath away with how beautiful she looked.

She hadn’t noticed him yet, telling her mother something in Italian that he couldn’t quite make out.  When she turned back around she saw bucky standing there, he was holding a red rose in his hand. He held it out to her, a bit sheepishly, “I would have bought more, but I couldn’t afford them.”

Mina took the rose from him, bringing it to her nose and inhaling its sweet scent.  “I love it,” she told him once her eyes met his again. She turned back to her mother and handed the rose to her, “Please put this in some water.”

Her mother nodded and disappeared.  Bucky offered his arm to her, “Are you ready to go?”

She nodded, “I am.”

The two of them set off for the club, Mina offering to pay for the taxi there, but Bucky refused.  He didn’t want her to spend her money on the cab fare when he felt like he should be the one paying.

“I’m sorry about sending Steve to find out about what you thought about our date,” he said as they continued making their way down the street.

Mina laughed, “I wasn’t mad, I find it hilarious that you think Steve would be able to get answers out of me though.  As if I would tell your best friend anything about what I was feeling on our date.”

“What were you feeling on our date?”  He asked curiously.

“Nervous,” she confessed.  “It’s been ages since I actually went out with anyone.  I worried about screwing it up somehow.”

“That makes two of us,” he told her.  “I did have a lot of fun last night.”

“So did I, Buck,” she squeezed his arm.  “I’m glad you asked me out.”  The club was getting closer now.  “I’ve actually always thought you were really handsome,” she confessed.

Happiness rushed through him, she had thought about him before?  “Then why didn’t you ever introduce yourself to me?  You knew Steve for six months before we officially met.  You could have met me at any time.”

“Because I always saw you with other girls.  I thought that maybe you were a lady’s man.” She had always been a little worried that if she met Bucky that all her fantasies would come crashing down around her.  She liked looking at him from afar, only dreaming what it would be like to hold his hand or be held in his arms.

“Well I am not like that, don’t get me wrong, I know women find me very attractive, but I’m looking for the one to finally settle down with and have a life like my parents have.”  He had never really admitted it to anyone, but he did want what his parents’ had. They seemed so happy with one another and he just wanted that as well.

“What are your parents like?”  They were stepping inside the club now.  Jazz music was playing from the band on the stage, men and women were dancing wildly on the dancefloor while others sat at their tables and drank champagne, wine, or beer.

“My mom is a kind woman, she loves me and my sister to death.  Steve is like her other son. She’s been more worried about him since his mom died.”  Mina hadn’t been friends with Steve at that point, but she did known his mother had passed on.  “My father works a lot to be able to support us. When my sister was younger he used to hide how tired he really was so he wouldn’t worry her.  But I could always tell, it was in his eyes how tired he was.”

“Does Steve live with you?”  They found a table in the corner, both of them wanted to wait until the dancing had calmed down a bit before they joined the others on the dancefloor.

Bucky shook his head, “No, he still lives at his old home, but he does stay with us a lot.  He tends to stay in our extra bedroom.”

Mina drummed her fingers on the table, “I got mad at my friends today.”

Bucky’s brow furrowed, he had heard from Steve that Teresa and Betty were Mina's closest friends, that she was almost always with them whenever he saw her.  “Doll, why?”

She blew out a breath and leaned back against her chair, “I suggested to Betty that maybe I could get you to arrange a double date between you and me, Steve and Betty. She seemed lonely and was jealous and I thought that maybe a night out on the town with a man would do her some good, and Steve's really sweet I knew he wouldn't hurt her intentionally. She mentioned how Steve was small, and then Teresa said that he was sickly.”  She clenched her fists, “I thought they would be different. They know Steve, they know how sweet he is. I just don’t get it.”

Bucky was used to this. He was used to women not wanting to be with Steve because of his stature and his health issues.  “Mina,” he reached across the table and took her hands in his. “I know, I’ve had girls that were friends that I’ve tried to set up with Steve. The moment they learned what he looks like, that was that.”

“It’s not right,” she said quietly.

“No it’s not, but it’s just how things are.  Steve’s used to it at this point.” Mina could hear the sadness in his voice.  He took a deep breath and said, “Enough with the heavy topics, especially if there’s nothing we can do to change the mind of others.  Dance with me?” He stood up and moved around to her side of the table.

She stood too and nodded, “I’d love to.”

They went out onto the dancefloor and began to dance.  The songs were upbeat and fast at first, Mina and Bucky kept pace like the other couples on the floor.  Then the music shifted to something slow and sweeter. Bucky twirled Mina into his arms and held her close, the two of them swayed back and forth.

Mina looked into his blue eyes and knew in that moment that she was really falling for him.  She liked the feeling of being wrapped in his arms, his warmth pressed against her. His eyes drifted down to her lips and she knew what he was thinking.

She raised herself up on her tiptoes and looked up at him through her lashes.  Bucky closed the distance placing a light kiss on her lips at first. He pulled back slightly trying to gauge her reaction, but she came closer and brushed her lips against his and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss.

The two of them forgot where they were as they were wrapped up in their own little world.  No one in the club cared what the two of them were doing, several people were locked in more passionate embraces than they were.  Young lovers often came to the club seeking privacy and to have intimate moments like this away from the prying eyes of the public and their families.  To the club patrons, Mina and Bucky were just another young couple sharing a moment with one another.

Bucky broke the kiss again, his eyes dilated, “I hate to do this to you, but we should go before your dad sends a search party for us.”

She giggled, “Are you afraid of my father, Bucky Barnes?” 

“Very much so,” he said with a smile.

She pecked his cheek before pulling him back to their table so they could gather their things.  When they made it back to the restaurant Mina kissed him again, she didn’t want him to leave yet and she liked the feeling of his lips on hers.  They were surprisingly soft. “Goodnight, Bucky,” she murmured a bit breathlessly.

“G’night, Mina,” he murmured, he didn’t want to let her go, but the fear that her father might get upset with him won out and he released her hand.

She unlocked the front door that led up to their apartment above the restaurant, and gave Bucky a small wave before closing the door and disappearing from sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Just a heads up I changed my username to buckyismymainman so it matches my Tumblr. I used to be purplelightsaberdontcare.
> 
> Also Happy New Year!!


	6. Chapter 6

A month and a half had passed since Bucky and Mina’s first date together.  And they had been inseparable since then. They were always doing something together.  Bucky liked the days when they would just walk around the neighborhood hand in hand talking and laughing together.

People that lived in the neighborhood would smile whenever they saw the young couple together, the two of them reminded the older couples and people of their youth when they were young and in love as well. Plus it was nice for them to see Mina finally leaving her parents’ restaurant for a change and spending time with someone other than her family or her two closest friends.

One day Mina asked Bucky if they could bring Steve along on their Coney Island date, she didn't want Steve to feel like she was neglecting him now that she was dating Bucky.  She still liked Steve and didn't want him to think that she had only been using him to get to Bucky.  He had happily agreed. Steve wasn’t sure at first, he didn’t want to intrude on their alone time together, and Mina told him that he would be fine.  She wanted to spend the day with her friend as well as her boyfriend.

The three of them went and Steve never felt awkward at all.  He and Mina had a blast playing some of the games together and he stood by and waited as Mina and Bucky rode some of the rides.

Mina even reserved some days for just her and Steve.  She would sit in the restaurant with him and let him sketch her in his notebook.  He would sometimes gift her with the drawings he did, other times he would keep them.  He sometimes gave the images to Bucky so that he could have something in Mina’s likeness.

One day when Bucky came by the restaurant Mina asked him when she would get the chance to meet his family.  “You’ve already had dinner with Ma and Papá, when can I join you at your house for dinner with your family?”  She was moving around the restaurant preparing for the afternoon rush. Bucky had come over to help her and to spend some time with her.

Bucky became nervous every time she mentioned meeting his family.  “I don’t know, doll. My family is crazy.”

She moved closer to him, tugging him so that he was pressed against her, he glanced nervously at the kitchen door, but Mina knew her mother was distracting her father so that she and Bucky would remain undisturbed just for a while.  “I want to meet your sister and your mother. Steve speaks highly of them and so do you. I don’t understand why you won’t take me to meet them.” She ran her hand up his chest and wound it around his neck, she smiled when he closed his eyes and tensed up under her touch.  “What’s the real problem?”

Bucky let out a little sigh and stepped away from her, he wanted to have a clear mind when he talked to her about this and he couldn’t do that with her perfume overpowering him and her touch making his mind go blank.  “We’re not… we’re not as well off as you and your parents, okay? Our house was a gift from a relative that passed on, before then we lived in a tiny little apartment with only one bedroom and barely any room to breathe.  We still only have enough to make ends meet…. I just didn’t want you to see that.”

Mina was quiet for a moment, Bucky wouldn’t look at her.  He was really ashamed of how he lived. “Buck,” her voice was soft, and she stepped closer to him, no teasing touches as she pulled him into her arms and held him.  “I would never judge you. I never figured that you were Henry Ford or Rockefeller. I don’t care about that. I never have.  I like you for you, money troubles and all.  I'm not shallow, I don't care about fancy things, I only care that you want to be with me and that this isn't some fling.”

Bucky relaxed against her and squeezed her tightly.  Sometimes he thought that she was too good for him. “Doll, would you do me the honor of coming to dinner on Thursday night?  I’m sure my family would love to finally meet you. Becca’s been begging me to bring you over for some time now.”

“I’d love too, Buck.  Just tell me what time to be there, and I will.”

 

Thursday night Mina caught a cab to the Barnes’s residence, her stomach filled with butterflies.  She was so afraid that they wouldn’t like her. Bucky had assured her many times that they would, and she would be fine.  He actually had the gall to laugh at how nervous she was.

He claimed it was because she looked cute worrying over how things were going to go, she thought it was because he knew his family would eat her alive.

She stepped out of the cab and walked up to the front door of the little townhome that was Bucky’s family's'.  She rang the doorbell and waited. A moment later she heard Bucky shouting at Rebecca, “Becca! Becca, let me get the door!”

The door came flying open and a girl with brown eyes and hair stood before Mina.  She was taller than Mina, and there was a wide smile on her face as she took in her brother’s girlfriend for the first time.  “You must be Mina!”

Bucky appeared behind Rebecca a worried look on his face.  Mina almost laughed at how worried he looked, but she bit it back, “Hello, you must be Rebecca.  Bucky’s told me all about you.”

Rebecca whirled around and smacked her brother.  “What did you tell her?!”

Bucky laughed as she warded off his sister’s attacks, “Becs!  Becs, stop it! Nothing bad, I swear.”

“Rebecca Elizabeth Barnes!  James Buchanan Barnes! Would the two of you behave,” a woman appeared around the corner and Mina finally learned where Bucky got his beautiful blue eyes.  She smiled when she noticed Mina, “Oh you must be Mina!” Winifred Barnes came forward and hugged Mina which surprised her, but she returned the embrace nonetheless.

“Ma, would you please release my girl before you scare her off?”

Winifred released Mina with a _tsk_ , and turned to her son, pulling him in for a hug and a kiss on the temple.  Mina giggled at his surprised look. “Behave, James,” she told him before inviting Mina to join her in the kitchen.  “James, be a good boy and wait for us in the dining room. Becca, you can come with us.”

“But Ma--”  He started to complain, but Winifred wasn’t going to hear any of it.

“No, you are not going to hog her the entire night.  Your father will be home soon, so occupy yourself until then.”  She motioned for her daughter and Mina to follow her.  Mina looked back at Bucky who looked worried, she flashed him a smile before disappearing through the kitchen door. The kitchen was small, not like the one at the restaurant.  Mina sat at the counter watching Winifred and Rebecca prepare the food. “Tell us a little about yourself, Mina,” she said as she glanced up from cutting the vegetables.

“I’m first generation American,” she said, the butterflies in her stomach growing larger with each passing second.  “My parents arrived in America right before the first World War broke out.”

“And here we are again with another war,” Winifred said with a shake of her head.  “Thank God we’re not fighting in it this time.”

Rebecca and Mina shared her sentiments.  Rebecca looked at Mina and asked, “What are your intentions with my brother?”

Winifred smacked Rebecca, “Becca!”

Mina laughed, “No, no Mrs. Barnes it’s perfectly all right.  My father asked the same question to Bucky when he joined us for dinner a few weeks ago.”  Mina smoothed her sweaty palms on her skirt, her heart skipped several beats every once in a while.  “I really like your brother, Rebecca. I love spending time with him, and getting to know him.”  Unbeknownst to Mina, Bucky was listening in. “We’ve only been seeing one another for a month now, but I hope one day we’ll reach the point where we’ll make the commitment to spend the rest of our lives together.”

Bucky smiled, she wanted the same thing he did.  He was going to turn around and head back to the living room when a hand clamped down on his shoulder, “You know James, it’s not very nice to eavesdrop on others conversations.”

Bucky turned around and saw his father standing there with a smirk on his face.  “Dad!” He tugged his father down the hall to the living room. “Mina’s in there, and I just wanted to make sure Ma and Becs were behaving themselves.”

“Ah, I forgot tonight was the night she was coming over.  So how do Becca and your mom like her?” The two men sat on the couch together.

Bucky rubbed the back of his neck, “I think they like her.  It seemed to be going well in there.”

“I’m sure she’s a lovely girl, James.  I know your mom said something about her serving us one year on our anniversary.  I don’t know where I was because I do not remember that at all,” he chuckled. “But I’m glad you’ve finally found someone you really like.”

Mina appeared in the doorway, smiling shyly at George Barnes, “Hello Mr. Barnes, I’m Mina.”  She moved closer and held out her hand for him to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise Miss Gaspari,” he smiled at her.  

“Dinner’s ready, Mrs. Barnes sent me to fetch you.”  She turned and headed back to the dining room where Winifred and Rebecca were putting the finishing touches on the table.

Bucky and George were right behind her and they pulled out the seats for the ladies. George gave his wife a quick kiss.  Bucky glanced over at Mina, remembering what she had told his mother and sister. He leaned over and brushed his lips against her cheek. Mina ducked her head, her cheeks warming. 

Rebecca watched the little exchange. Steve was right, Mina was good for Bucky.  Her brother had finally found his other half.

Dinner was a nice affair. Bucky’s parents asked her about what her life was like as a first generation American and what it was like working for her parents.  She answered their questions, still feeling a little nervous, but warming up to them.  When the conversation wasn't focused on her she watched them interact with one another.  They were happy and she knew they cared deeply for one another.

When all was said and done Mina offered to help with the dishes, but Winifred refused.  She told Mina that she was a guest and that guests didn’t do dishes.

She joined Rebecca, George, and Bucky in the living room. She glanced back at the kitchen feeling horrible for leaving Winifred all alone in the kitchen after slaving away over the stove to make dinner.

Bucky chuckled, “Go help her.”

She shot him a smile and rushed off to help his mother.  Winifred was surprised when the door opened and Mina appeared. “I thought I told you to stay away.”

“I always help my ma with dishes,” she picked up a dish rag and began to dry the dishes that Winifred cleaned. 

“I always hoped Bucky would settle with a nice girl. Someone with a good heart and who would put that stubborn boy in his place.”  She smiled at Mina, “I’m glad it’s you he’s found.”

That made her feel warm inside, “I’m glad I came over tonight. I really enjoyed it.”

“You can come over as often as you like, it was a pleasure having you here.”

The two worked in content silence until all the dishes were done. After Mina said her goodbyes, Bucky walked her out to the sidewalk where she could hail a cab.  The three other Barnes were pressed against the glass watching them. 

Bucky and Mina were facing one another, “I guess I’ll see you in a few days.”

She nodded her head, “My parents are looking forward to it.”

Bucky kissed her cheek, “I would kiss you, kiss you, but my family is currently watching us.”

Mina shook her head, pulling him down. “I don’t care,” she whispered before kissing him. 

Winifred and Rebecca squealed while George chuckled. 

Bucky pulled back, “Doll, I hope you know you’ve subjected me to a night of torture.”

She smirked at him, “I know.”  She turned and flagged down a cab. Before she stepped into the cab she looked up at Bucky and said, “Goodnight Buck, good luck with your family.”  And then she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like updating this today. I’ll still update on Friday (I have up to chapter 14 written)


	7. Chapter 7

**December 7th, 1941**

It was all over the news, Pearl Harbor had been bombed.

America was officially at war.

Mina had been with Bucky at his parents place having dinner. George came barging in, he was home later than normal. “Turn on the radio Wini!”

Winifred was startled but did as George said.  There they heard the news, “Pearl Harbor has been bombed. President Roosevelt has declared that America will go to war.”  Mina stopped hearing the words coming from the radio.   She and Bucky shared a look. They both knew that there was a possibility that there would be a draft, and that the army was going to take everyone they could.

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze, “It’ll be all right.”

“You don’t know that,” she murmured as the others began to talk about what this would mean for the country.  “You’ll be taken if it comes to that, I know you won’t enlist.” Mina knew he hated fighting and the thought of going to war.  He wasn’t a violent person.

He kissed her temple, he was scared at that moment.  She was right, they would draft him if he didn’t enlist, and he had no plans on enlisting.  “Let’s just pray it’s over before I can be drafted.”

She nodded her head, “Steve’ll want to fight.”

“They won’t let him,” he said.  “But he’ll try anyway.”

They both knew their friend hated bullies.  That he would want to fight, but he would be turned down every time he tried.  It was simple fact that Steve had too many health problems for the army to even consider him eligible to fight in the war.

Mina left shortly after to go home and see what her parents were thinking about this.  She knew that her father would think that this was a waste of life, that wars should not be fought.  Her mother would be praying for the souls of the lost and for the ones that were still fighting.

When she walked into the restaurant she could already feel the somber mood.  There were several people there listening to the same broadcast that she had just heard at the Barnes’ house.  Steve was there listening in as well.

He had a strained look on his face, he looked angry.  Mina walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, “Steve.”

He looked up, “Can you believe this?  We weren’t even going to fight and they dragged us in!”

“Steve,” Mina said calmly.  “Please tell me that you’re not thinking of trying to enlist.”

Steve looked taken aback, “Of course I’m going to try and enlist!  I have to, it’s my duty. I don’t like bullies, you know this Mina.”

“But Steve, they won’t take you,” she argued.  “Please don’t try.” Tears filled her eyes. “Bucky’s probably going to go into the army, and I could lose him, I can’t lose you too.”

Steve’s anger drained as he saw how visibly distraught she was by this.  She and Bucky had been seeing one another for almost four months at this point, he could see how this would be hard for her.

He pulled her into a hug, “Mina, we have to try.  We can’t let them bully the world into submission.  We’ll be all right.”

“You don’t know that,” she murmured into his chest.  “People go to war and then they don’t come back.”

“We’ll come back,” he said as if he could see the future and knew they would make it through the fighting.

Mina pulled away, she knew one way that she could get him to change his mind.  “Steve, promise me that you won’t enlist,” her siren-like abilities rose and she could feel them washing over her and Steve.

Steve blinked for a moment as if confused by something.  “Mina, I can’t.”

Mina stared at him wide-eyed, no one had ever been able to refuse her siren abilities before.  “Fine, but you have to know it will be nearly impossible for you to be eligible to fight. You have health issues, they won’t take you.”

“I have to try,” he hugged her one more time.  “Tell your parents that I had to leave. I need to go talk to Bucky.”  He turned and left the restaurant leaving Mina with the others. She let out a little sigh and hurried into the kitchen where she told everything to her parents, her fears and worries, she couldn’t think of what life would be like now.

Her parents comforted her as much as they could, but even they were worried about what was about to befall the country.

 

**February 9th, 1942**

Mina hadn’t been expecting Bucky to show up at the restaurant for another few days, the news that war had come to the United States had sunk in and men began lining up to enlist for the army.  People had already been getting their draft letters as well. It was somber time all around, you could feel it in the air. Mina longed for the carefree days of summer when everyone had normal worries, but were mainly happy.  

While Mina was happy to see Bucky the look on his face told her that she wasn’t going to like what he had come to tell her.     


At first she thought something had happened to Steve and her heart dropped, he had gotten sick a few days prior and all thoughts of Bucky being drafted flew from her mind.  Anxiety bloomed in her stomach and she felt sick. She rushed over and gripped his arms, “Please tell me nothing’s happened to Steve.”   


He shook his head, “Steve’s fine.”   


Mina was relieved to hear the news, but she still didn’t like the way he was looking at her, “Then what’s wrong?”   


He held out some papers to her.  They were from the war office informing Bucky that he had been drafted into the war.  Mina’s knees felt weak and Bucky held onto her as she almost collapsed.   


She had been expecting this.  She wasn’t foolish. She had just hoped that maybe they wouldn’t need to draft men, that there were enough of them enlisting that he would be spared.  She knew one of Bucky’s worries was joining the fight, he hated fighting.   


“I leave at the end of the week to go into basic training and then from there I’ll wait to see where they’ll station me.”  His head dropped some, “Please don’t tell Steve that I was drafted. I don’t want him to think that I’m some coward that didn’t want to fight.”   


“I won’t, but Bucky....”  She shook her head, she felt like there was a lump in her throat.  “War?” She looked up at him, her eyes swimming with tears.   


He kissed her forehead, his own eyes filled with tears, “It’ll be all right, doll.  I’ll come home. Maybe I won’t even be shipped over for a while. Maybe I can just stay stationed here.”   


Both of them knew that that was a long shot.  If they were drafting men then that meant that they needed every able-bodied man that they could get.  He would be sent over to Europe and he would see the destruction and bloodshed that awaited him. “What time do you leave on Friday?”   


“Eight in the morning, I have to be at the train station at seven.  They’re sending me to Wisconsin for basic.” She cupped his cheek with her hands.  He turned his head slightly to brush a kiss against her palm. “I’ll be back before you know it.  I won’t even be gone long enough for you to miss me.”   


“You sure about that?”  She tried to give him a teasing grin, but her teary eyes gave her away.  She wrapped her arms around him, “God Bucky, please be careful.”

“I will, doll.  I swear,” he squeezed her tightly.  “Come to dinner Thursday night. My ma is throwing a little going away party for me.  Steve’ll be there, we’ll have a grand old time.” He felt her body rock with a sob and he closed his eyes.  “Doll, I promise you that I will make it home to you.”

“You better, James Buchanan Barnes, because if not I will go before God himself and drag you back here,” she looked up at him, her eyes slightly red.

Bucky threw his head back and laughed, “I’d like to see that, doll.”  He kissed her forehead. “Why don’t we go do something, just you and I?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, maybe we could go get ice cream,” he suggested.

“It’s cold,” she complained.  “Why would we get ice cream?”

“Okay, then what about getting some hot chocolate?  We can go to that little diner on the corner and get some.”

She wiped her eyes with her hands, “All right, let’s do it.”

They made their way to the diner Bucky had mentioned and ordered two hot chocolates.  They sat at one of the little tables and sipped on their warm beverages. Bucky’s hand never left Mina’s.  He held onto her like a lifeline, he watched her as she drank her hot chocolate trying to remember everything about her.

He was scared.  He never thought he would join the army, but now he was heading off to basic and then who knew where he would go from there.  He wished that he could change things, go back in time and not ask her out on that date because at least then she wouldn’t be in pain like this.  He could go overseas and fight and not have to worry about what it would do to Mina if he died.

 

Thursday came and Bucky picked Mina up to spend the first half of the day with her. At first they made pizzas in the kitchen while her parents served them. Then they headed out into the world to just be together.

There was a light dusting of snow and more was falling from the sky.  “I wonder what Wisconsin will be like? What the snow is like?”

“I’m sure it’s just like here,” she said quietly.

He tugged her to a stop, “Hey, no long faces.”  He brushed some hair away from her face and cupped the back of her neck. He pressed his lips against hers, soft and sweet at first but then he nudged her lips open with his tongue. 

Mina didn’t care that they were on the street, she wanted to be in this moment forever. She moaned softly spurring him on.  He tugged her into the alley out of sight of people. 

“Bucky,” Mina whispered. “As much as I’d love to continue this, we’re not doing this in an alley.”

He hummed, “You’re right, I’m sorry.”  He backed away, “We should get going to my house before they worry.”

Rebecca was thrilled to see Mina. Winifred was trying to hold it together and George was quiet though that wasn’t unusual for him. He did seem more somber though.   Steve was also quiet. He had been trying to enlist for weeks but they kept denying him. Bucky was grateful, but Steve was annoyed. 

Mina talked and tried to distract everyone from the thought of Bucky leaving for basic training while trying to keep herself from breaking down into tears. 

Winifred headed into the kitchen and Mina went after her when she heard the sniffle come from the older woman. 

“Mrs. Barnes?”  She asked carefully.

Winifred pulled Mina into her arms, “How are you being so strong?”

“I’m not. On the inside I’m an emotional wreck, but Bucky’s scared right now and I have to be there for him. But I don’t know how to handle this once he’s gone.”

There was a knock on the kitchen door and Bucky peaked inside. “Mina, can I have a moment with Ma?”

“Of course,” she squeezed his arm as she passed, but gave them both some privacy.  The atmosphere in the living room wasn’t any better. George had his head down and Steve was comforting Rebecca.  “I need some air,” she muttered as she headed for the front door.

Rebecca watched her go and nudged Steve, “Go after her, she needs you right now.”

Steve headed out the front door without a second thought and found her sitting on the front steps, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.  He pulled out his handkerchief and gave it to her, “I think you need this more than me.”

Mina gave a humorless laugh, “Thank you.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Steve wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned her head against him.  “You know you don’t have to bottle your feelings up, right? If you need to cry in front of Bucky then just let it all out.”

“I just don’t want to seem like I’m going to be pining after him the entire time he’s away.  Like my whole world has ended. I’m not his wife, I’m not family, I’m just his girlfriend. We’ve only been seeing one another for a few months now.”  She dabbed her eyes again.

“Steve, can I talk to Mina?”  They both turned to see Bucky behind them.

Steve stood and dusted off his pants, “Sure.” 

When Steve was inside Bucky sat next to Mina, “Mina, please don’t feel like you have to be strong.  I know that this is scary for everyone. And yeah we’ve only been seeing one another for a few months, but your my girl and this is hard for you.  You’re gonna miss me, and I’ll miss you too.” He pressed a kiss to her temple and she broke. He was leaving tomorrow and she wouldn’t have this closeness with him for a very long time.

She hugged him tightly and cried, it was only basic, but she knew it would lead to war eventually.  When she pulled away she looked into his blue eyes and cupped his face with her hand. She wanted to remember the exact shade of blue his eyes were.  She pressed a kiss to his lips and stood, “I need to go…. I can’t stay.”

Bucky stood too and held her close, “Please stay a little longer.”

Mina nodded, “All right.”

Once the Mina had calmed down some they went back inside and tried not to talk about Bucky leaving for basic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where things start getting angsty.


	8. Chapter 8

**February 14th, 1942**

Dear Mina,

Happy Valentine’s Day, doll.  I wish I was there to spend it with you, but instead, I’m surrounded by a bunch of men and of course, it has to be freezing cold here in Wisconsin.  I swear there are at least three feet of snow on the ground here. How is New York? Is it snowing more now?  I bet it's not as cold there as it is here. You'll probably say I'm just being dramatic, but I swear doll, I had an icicle growing out of my nose, it's that cold here.

I can’t tell you how much I miss your parents’ pizza.  I think of it often when I’m eating the slop they feed us here.  I can almost imagine that I’m eating their pizza if I concentrate hard enough.   I know I’ve only been here for four days, but I’m already a little homesick.  The men are nice though, I’ve made a few friends, but they’re all crazy.

How’s Steve?  Has he gotten sick any?  Is he still trying to enlist?  Please tell me he’s given up that dream.

I hope you’re doing well, doll.  I miss you. 

Bucky

 

**February 17th, 1942**

Dear Bucky,

Happy belated Valentines Day!  I wish you were here as well, but Steve is keeping me company.  And he gave me some chocolates, told me that they were from you.  You didn’t have to do that Buck, I would have been fine with or without them.

New York is cold as well, we did get some more snow yesterday.  The streets were covered, but I don’t think it’s as deep as what you’ve got up there in Wisconsin.  I think it’s going to snow again tomorrow, but you know how the weather can be.

When you get back from training I’m sure my parents would be more than happy to fill you with their pizza.  The restaurant has been a little dead lately because of everyone heading off to basic or being shipped out to England to find out where they’ll be headed from there.  But we still have a few loyal customers coming in.

What are your friends’ names?  I want to hear everything about them, crazy or not. 

Steve is soldiering on, he’s been spending time with me more and more.  He really misses you, Bucky. He hasn’t been sick, but if he keeps going out in the weather like this I’m afraid he will be.  Don’t worry though, I’ll take care of him. And yes he’s still trying to enlist, though not as much right now as he was. 

I miss you, Bucky.  I’m doing fine, I hope you’re doing all right as well and that you’re not putting on a front for me.  Good luck, Bucky. I’ll see you soon.

Mina

 

**February 25th, 1942**

Dear Mina,

Per your request here is a picture of me with my friends.  Jim is the first one on the right, then it’s Gabe, next is John, and then last is Michael.  They’ve asked about you, they’ve seen me writing these letters to you and they want to know every detail.  Maybe one day you can meet them, hopefully, they won’t embarrass me with stories from our training days.

Just a few more weeks and then I’m done with basic.  I’ll be able to come home and see you and everyone again.  I’m looking forward to it, but I may not be able to stay as long.  They want me to do some kind of training. I don’t know what they want me to do yet, they’re being a little cryptic, surprise, surprise.

Ma sent me a letter and said that you brought pizza over one night and had dinner with them.  She really likes you, Mina, I could tell just by the way she was writing about you. Thank you for visiting them and checking up on them.  Becs likes you too, said that you went dress shopping with her because she met some boy? Tell me more about this boy.

Can’t wait to hear from you, doll.  And I can’t wait to see you again.

Bucky

 

**March 1st, 1942**

Dear Bucky,

They’re all very handsome, and I can’t wait to hear what kind of embarrassing stories about you that they can cook up.  But I’m sure nothing will beat Steve’s, he has some of the best stories about you from your youth together. Tell them that I said hello and that I hope I can meet them someday.

I look forward to seeing you again.  It feels weird not having you around all the time.  I keep expecting you to walk through the door and then you’re not there.  It hits me sometimes that you’re in the army.

I love spending time with your mother, she’s a gem.  My mother likes her as well. Did she not tell you that I invited them all over for dinner at the restaurant with my parents?  Steve came too, he was a little under the weather a few days ago, but it was nothing serious.

And no I will not tell you about this boy.  He’s nice and that’s all you need to know. No big brother overbearingness from you, James.  I’ll keep an eye on her, make sure he’s not up to anything nefarious.

I’ll see you soon, Bucky. 

Mina

  
  


**April 12th, 1942**

Dear Mina,

Our time together wasn’t long enough.  They’re sending me to upstate New York to one of the bases there.  I’m training to become a Sergeant, can you believe it? Me, a Sergeant.  I don’t know what they’re thinking by making me a Sergeant, I'll be horrible at it.  I can't give people orders, hell Steve barely listens to me, what am I going to do with a group of men?

I’ll be here for a while though so that means I won’t get to see you again for several months.  Maybe even for the rest of the year.

Tell Becs that I approve of her choice of boyfriend.  Henry seems like a perfectly respectable young man.  And tell Ma not to get all clingy with Becs and her new boy.  She needs her breathing room.

I’m sorry that this letter is so short, but I have to go soon, the train is almost at our destination.

I’ll be waiting for your next letter, doll.

Bucky

 

**October 31st, 1942**

Dear Bucky,

It’s been a while since I last heard from you.  I hope you’re doing all right up there in upstate New York.

Becs and Henry are getting married.  I’m sure your mother already told you in one of her letters.  Henry is shipping out soon and they wanted to get married before he did.  She wishes you could be here for the service, but she understands that you can’t.  Do try to make it back though if you can. They’re getting married next month on the fifteenth.

Steve got into a back alley fight again the other day.  He’s lucky I was there to stop it. He has a nice shiner though.  Ma’s been watching over him since your mother can’t right now with the wedding plans.

I hope to hear from you soon, Buck.

Mina

 

Bucky read over the last letter that Mina had sent him.  His little sister was getting married. He couldn’t quite believe it, but he was happy for her.

He glanced out the window of his train, the bleak countryside passing him by.  Tomorrow was the big day and he would make it in by that night. His mother had promised Mina would be staying over to help with Rebecca’s makeup and the final preparations in the morning.

He smiled as he thought about the surprised look on her face when she saw him.  He hoped she wouldn’t be mad at him for not writing her back in a while. Things had been hectic with his training and he had barely had time to write his mother and find out when things were going down and when Mina would be with them.

The train pulled into the station and Bucky grabbed his bags and disembarked to head home to his parent’s house.  There were several soldiers on the platform, some he knew from his days back in Brooklyn, others were new faces, probably here waiting for a flight to England or somewhere else in Europe where their help was needed.

He hailed a cab and the closer he got to his home the harder his heart started to beat inside his chest.  

The cab stopped in front of his home, the lights in the windows glowing faintly.  He caught a flash of Mina’s dark hair and he held his breath for a moment. He moved closer and saw that she was smiling, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.  She was pinning Rebecca’s dress the two girls giggling while his mother watched.

He unlocked the front door as quietly as he could and stepped in, making sure not to disturb the third floorboard in the entryway that had a tendency to creak.  He moved to stand in the open doorway of the living room, none of them noticing him yet.

“He’s going to love this dress, Becs,” Mina said with a giggle.  God, he had missed her voice. He could sometimes hear it when he read her letters, but nothing compared to actually hearing her speak.

“Yeah Becs, your taste in dress is impeccable as always.”  Mina’s head snapped up and she nearly dropped the pins she was holding.

“Bucky?”  She asked in shock.

He grinned at her, “Hey, doll.”

She threw down her pins and ran over to him, throwing herself into his arms, “Oh my God, what are you doing here?”

He held her close, her feet a couple of inches off the ground, “I came back for Becs’s wedding.  I told my commanding officer that my youngest sister was getting married and asked for the day off.  He granted my wish, luckily he has a younger sister too.” He kissed the top of her head.

“Don’t hog him, Mina!”  Rebecca rushed over and barely let Mina get out of the way before she was hugging him as well.

Winifred hugged her son next and told Mina that she could take Bucky into the kitchen where the dinner was cooking and see if it was ready.  Mina took Bucky’s hand and dragged him into the kitchen. 

The moment the door closed behind them Bucky lifted Mina up on the counter and kissed her in a dizzying kiss.  Mina threaded her fingers through his hair, the smell of his cologne filling her sense and caused her brain to short circuit.  He was here and he was kissing her.

“I’ve missed you, doll,” he murmured before placing a kiss to her neck, she leaned her head back to allow him better access.

“I’ve missed you too, Buck,” she whispered.

He moved his lips back to her lips and kissed her softly this time.  They shared a few more kisses before the timer went off and Mina had to get the food out.  Bucky stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist, his head resting on her shoulder.

When she had gotten everything ready Bucky helped her carry the plates into the dining room and gathered the rest of the family for dinner.  George hugged his son for a few moments, squeezing him tightly, happy that he was home and safe.

Winifred did the dishes with the help of George, the two of them smiling sweetly at one another, the atmosphere of the house no longer filled with worry and sadness, but joy.  Bucky was home for Rebecca’s wedding and he was safe for the time being.

Bucky, Rebecca, and Mina sat on the couch together and Bucky told him all the stories from his basic training days that he hadn’t when he had first gotten out and what he had been up to since he had last seen them.

Mina grew sleepy listening to him talk, his voice lulling her to sleep.  When she had fully fallen asleep Rebecca pointed it out to Bucky. “Go to bed, Becs, I’ll make sure she gets to bed.”

“Mmmhmm,” Rebecca grinned.  “The two of you behave.”

Bucky smacked his sister lightly on the back as she passed him by.  He stayed there with Mina for the longest time, just letting her sleep against him.  The clock in the house chimed twelve and Mina jerked awake. “What happened?” The darkened house confused her.

“You feel asleep, doll,” Bucky told her softly.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she rubbed her eyes.  “I must have been more tired than I realized.”  She stood up and stretched her arms above her head.  “I should get to bed, I have an early day tomorrow.”

He nodded his head and brushed a kiss across her forehead.  “Come on, I’ll walk you up.”

The two of them made their way up the stairs and stopped at the guest room where Steve usually stayed.  Mina paused and turned to look at Bucky, “Don’t leave.”

Bucky hesitated, but entered her room and softly shut the door behind him.

 

The next day Mina woke and found Bucky gone, but she could still smell him on the sheets.  She sat up and shivered as the cold air hit her bare skin. There was a knock on the door, “Mina can I come in?”

Mina’s eyes widened, “Give me a second!”  She shot out of bed and over to where her bridesmaid’s dress was hanging.  “I’m getting dressed.” She tugged on her undergarments and then threw the dress over her head, the light green fabric reaching all the way to the floor.  She then hurried to open the door for Rebecca who was grinning. “Sorry about that.”

“Did you and James enjoy your night?”

Mina’s cheeks heated, “We, uh, we didn’t, did he…  I--”

Rebecca began to giggle, “I won’t tell I swear.  If my parents knew anything they would be chewing Bucky out by now.”  She smiled at Mina, “Your secret is safe with me, plus we’re going to be sisters someday anyway, I know my brother and he truly is serious about you.”

Mina relaxed, “Thank you, Becca.”

“Any time, now come and help me get ready.”  She pulled Mina out of her room and the two of them began preparing for her wedding.

Everything went spectacularly.  Henry and Rebecca were married, but Mina didn’t pay much attention during the ceremony, her eyes had found Bucky, looking dapper in a tux, his eyes on her rather than his sister.

Mina couldn’t help but think back to the night before, and she blushed which made Bucky grin even wider.  

They danced the night away at the reception and spent one last night together before Bucky left early the next morning to head back upstate.


	9. Chapter 9

The next time Mina saw Bucky was in June of 1943.  He had come home because he was shipping out for England the following day.  He had shown up at the restaurant, wanting to surprise her and to see if she would come with him to the Stark Expo that evening.

Mina and Steve had been planning on going together, but this was perfect.  She had even managed to rope Teresa into going with Steve, she figured Teresa felt bad about the way she and Betty had talked about Steve to Mina and thought that this could possibly help her get back into Mina's good graces.

“So what do I call you now?”  Mina teased as they sat at one of the tables together, their fingers were entwined, neither of them could go more than a few moments without touching one another.  It was like they were trying to remind themselves that the other was actually there.  “Bucky or Sergeant James Barnes?”

“You can call me whatever you want, doll,” he leaned across the table and kissed her cheek.  “I’ll pick you up tonight before we head to the Expo, but I gotta go find Steve and tell him.”

She stood up and walked to the door with him, “Behave yourself out there, Sergeant Barnes.” 

He grinned at her, “I’ll see you tonight, Miss Gaspari.”  He pecked her lips before leaving to go find Steve.

Bucky found Steve in an alley fighting some random man from the theater.  Steve had blood running out the side of his mouth and he looked like he was about ready to fall over. Bucky managed to stop the fight before any more damage could be done to Steve.  The man tucked tail and ran after Bucky showed up too afraid to fight someone that was bigger than Steve.

Steve took in Bucky’s appearance, saw him in his uniform and knew what it meant, he was leaving for England at last. “Come on, no long faces.  You, me, Mina, and Teresa are all going to the Stark Expo tonight and we’re going to have a good time," Bucky smiled at him hoping his best friend wouldn't see how scared he actually was.

“All right, but I still feel like I should be joining you out there.  I need to be doing something else Buck,” Steve said.

Bucky kept quiet, not wanting to get into a fight with his best friend over this.  “Just come on, we need to go pick up the girls.” 

When they were at the Stark Expo Mina and Bucky stopped to share a moment.  He could see the worry in her eyes and knew that it had probably been eating away at her all day that he was going to be leaving for England the following day.  He wished he knew how to comfort her, but he didn't and that killed him more than he could describe.  He hated that she felt like she had to be strong when she was around him.  He knew it was because she didn't want him to worry as much, but still, he knew what bottling things up inside could do to a person.

Bucky wiped Mina’s tears as she stood before him.  “Don’t worry doll, I’ll be back before you know it and you can tell me all about life here without me and how horrible it was.”

Mina chuckled, her worry momentarily forgotten.  “Who says it would be horrible,  _ idiota?” _

“You’re right, you gotta watch over Steve which is a full-time job,” the two of them chuckled as they looked over to where Teresa and Steve were standing a bit awkwardly, waiting for their friends to stop having a moment.  Bucky leaned down and placed a kiss to her forehead, his eyes falling shut as his lips lingered there. He was trying to remember the way she smelled, how she felt wrapped up in his arms. Would he ever get to feel this again?

Mina pulled away and took his handkerchief out of his back pocket.  She dabbed her eyes with it, “Come on, tonight is supposed to be fun.”  She took his hand, forcing a smile to her face as she led him back over to their friends.

They spent the night wandering around in the Expo.  Mina and Bucky fascinated with all the gadgets of the future.  Steve and Teresa less so, but they couldn’t help but feel a little happy at the enthusiasm their friends were showing as they dashed around the Expo together, their hands still linked.

At one point as they were watching Howard Stark speak Bucky turned to tell Steve something when he found his friend missing.  He leaned down and whispered, “I gotta go find Steve, I’ll be back.”   Mina nodded her head and glanced back worriedly wondering where Steve had gone.   Bucky knew there was one place where he might find Steve and he had been right.  Steve had gone to the enlistment office that was located in the Expo. He was standing before the images of soldiers, not quite tall enough to be able to see himself in the uniform.  Bucky sighed, he wished that Steve didn’t want to go and fight so much.   “Steve,” Bucky moved closer.

Steve turned, “Why aren’t you with Mina and Teresa?  Go back and have some fun.”

Bucky stopped in front of Steve, “What’re you going to do, Steve?  Are you going to try and enlist again? Come on,” Bucky shook his head.  “You’re just going to keep getting rejected!”

“You don’t know that!”  Steve argued back. “They may take me here.  I can do this, Buck.”

“No, Steve you can’t.  They’ve denied you time and time again.  Why do you want to fight so much?”

Mina rushed over, seeing the direction things were taking, “Hey.”  She looked back and forth between the two men. She could see how scared Bucky was at the thought of Steve being shipped over to Europe, how angry Steve was that Bucky wasn’t supporting him on this.  “Let’s not fight. It’s Bucky’s last night in the States before he heads to England tomorrow. Let’s have some fun.”

Steve looked at Mina, his face softening some, “You all go ahead, I’ll catch up when I can.”  He turned to leave but stopped when Bucky called out to him.

Before Steve could see what Bucky wanted this time he was enveloped in his friend’s tight embrace.  “Don’t do anything stupid, punk.”

Steve hugged his friend tightly, wishing that they were shipping out together, “You too, Buck.”

The two of them broke apart, Bucky watching as Steve disappeared down a hallway.  Mina tugged on his hand, offering him a sweet smile. “I’ll take care of him, Bucky.  I promise.”

She saw some of his worries melt away at her words.  “I know you will, doll.  Now come on, let me get you and Teresa home.”

 

The next day Bucky was waiting to board his plane to England when he heard a voice calling out to him, “Bucky!”

He turned, his eyes widening in shock as he saw Mina racing toward him, he hadn’t told her when he was leaving and what gate he would be leaving from.  “Doll?” She slammed into him causing Bucky to rock back slightly, his arms automatically wrapping around her. “How on earth did you know where I was?”  He hadn’t wanted her to be here when he shipped out for England, he couldn't take a sad goodbye, not from her.  Their last night together had been perfect, there had been no tears, no worries shared between the two of them.  It was perfect.

“Steve,” she admitted.  “He came by this morning.  He… he wanted to come, but he’s having a hard time with this.”

Bucky held onto her tightly, he knew they were about to call him to board, but God did he not want to be the next one on that plane.  “Doll, they’re gonna call me soon. I need you to go back home.”

She nodded her head, “Bucky, there’s something I need to tell you….”

“Flight 205 to Heathrow is now boarding,” a man called out.

“I need to go.”  He bent down and kissed her, long and lingering.  “I’ll see you when I get back.”

“Bucky wait,” Mina called as he slipped out of her grip.  “I need to tell you something.”

Bucky had a feeling he knew what she was going to say to him, he forced a smile hoping she couldn’t tell, “Tell me when I get back, doll.”  He turned and disappeared from her sight.

“I love you,” she whispered, her tears spilling down her cheeks.

Bucky closed his eyes as he settled into his seat.  He knew that Mina was going to say she loved him, but he couldn’t hear those words.  Not now. One of the other men who had witnessed the encounter tapped Bucky on the shoulder.  Bucky turned and found his friend Gabe Jones from basic training sitting beside him. “I couldn’t help but notice your little encounter with the girl at the gate.  That was Mina wasn’t it?” Bucky nodded his head, he wasn’t surprised Gabe had figured it out with how much he had talked about Mina to him and the others. “Scared she'd tell you she loved you?”

Bucky hesitated, “Yeah, I was actually.”

“You’re worried you might not come back and there she says she’s in love with you and you leave her heart broken.”

Bucky began to relax, “It’s not that I don’t love her too, it’s just… I can’t do that to her.  I can’t leave her and then possibly die while I’m over here fighting. She deserves better than that.”

“Hey, I get it.  But try not to think like that.  You’ll get home to her and see her eventually,” Gabe said.

“Yeah, maybe,” Bucky murmured as he turned his attention back to the airport.  They were about to take off now. Bucky could see people at the windows waving to the plane as it started to depart, and he wondered which one was Mina.  “I love you too, doll,” he whispered as the airport began to move farther and farther away.

 

Mina arrived back at the restaurant where Steve was waiting for her.  His bags in hand, her parents were there as well, holding onto one another.  They didn’t like what was about to happen.

Several months ago when Steve got into a fight in some back alley and Mina had found him and broken the fighting up.  She had used her abilities to stop it. Steve had seen and at first, he had been very confused, he didn't want to believe what he thought he had just seen.  He had seen her hands erupt into turquoise flames, and her eyes had glowed. Mina promised to explain everything to him, but he couldn’t tell Bucky or anyone what he had seen.   Steve had agreed after seeing the terrified look on her face.  He knew instantly that no one was ever supposed to know what she could do.

Now Steve was leaving for basic training and Mina was going with him.  She had made a promise to Bucky that she would watch over Steve and if she could help end this war with her gifts then she was going to do something.  She knew that she could no longer sit idly by while the rest of the world erupted into chaos around her when she could do something to help.

Her mother was crying as Mina pulled her into her arms, “I have to do this, Ma.  You have to understand, I have to.  I can do something and I can't just sit by and let these evil people get away with their deeds anymore.”

Alia gripped her daughter tightly, “Please be safe.  Don’t let them use you for their own needs, please don't let them take advantage of you.”

“As if they could make me,” Mina pulled away and smiled at her mother, trying to show that she was all right with her decision to leave, to reveal her abilities to others.

Her father was next, “I believe in you,  _ topolina. _  Go show those Axis Powers they messed with the wrong country.”

Her mother handed her the bag she would be taking with her, Steve and her were heading to Wheaton, New Jersey to the training camp there.  Mina said one last goodbye to her parents, promising to write when she could and that they would see her again before they knew it.

Steve and Mina were both quiet on the train ride and then in the car that took them to Camp Lehigh, both of them too lost in their own thoughts about what was about to happen and what things were about to change for them.  When they arrived Mina turned to Steve, “Where is the doctor that accepted you into the military?”

Steve shrugged, “I don’t know, he said that he would meet me here.”

A moment later a balding man with white hair and glasses came walking toward them.  “Mr. Rogers, you made it,” he had a German accent which surprised Mina.

She leaned over and whispered, “You didn’t tell me he was German.”

“Wasn’t important,” Steve whispered back before he walked over to shake the doctor’s hand.  “Mina, this is Doctor Abraham Erskine, Doctor Erskine this is Mina Gaspari, my friend.”

Doctor Erskine held out his hand to Mina, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Gaspari, but I’m afraid this is no place for friends.”

“I actually wish to speak with you, Doctor Erskine.  I think you’ll be intrigued with what I have to tell you,” she said calmly, though her heart felt like it was about to beat out of her chest.

Doctor Erskine regarded her calmly, but she could see the spark of interest in his eyes.  “Very well, let me get Steven settled in.  We can talk in my office.” He pointed out the building where he worked and told her to wait there for her.

She did as she was told not quite ready to reveal her secrets, but knowing that it was for the best.   

“No more secrets,” she whispered as she stepped inside the building and closed the door behind her.


	10. Chapter 10

Mina had just begun to regret her decision of coming with Steve when Doctor Erskine opened the door and stepped inside his office.  He regarded Mina with critical eyes, she could tell he didn’t trust easily. “Steven tells me that you are incredibly gifted and that we might have a use for you.”  He moved closer to her, his eyes roving her face trying to figure out the woman standing before him.  She could tell that he didn't trust her, that something had happened to him to make him distrustful of others. “What did he mean by that?”

Mina held up her hand and her turquoise flames slowly flickered to life across her fingers.  Doctor Erskine jumped back, his eyes widening at the sight before him, “My God.”

“That’s not all I can do,” she told him.  “I can also make people do as I say, I like to think of it as a Siren Call, and I can turn invisible.”  She demonstrated that power for him next. 

“Steven was right, Miss Gaspari, we do have a use for you.  Come with me, I want to introduce you to Agent Carter and Colonel Phillips.  They are the ones overseeing this camp and my experiment.” He motioned for her to follow him and she did as she was told.

They moved across the camp, several of the men eyeing Mina as she passed.  Some of them were catcalling her, she merely ignored them, but the taunts kept coming and she had to grind her teeth together to keep from snapping at them. She was ushered into another building by Doctor Erskine finally giving her a reprieve from the soldiers outside.  In the room there were about five men and a single woman. Colonel Phillips was the oldest of the gentlemen and he didn’t look pleased, “Doctor Erskine, what is this civilian doing in my camp?”  She couldn't say she wasn't surprised by her less than warm welcoming from the man.

The other woman regarded Mina calmly, her interest piqued by the newest addition to the group.  Doctor Erskine merely ignored the bite in Colonel Phillips tone.  “Gentlemen, may I have a word in private with Colonel Phillips and Agent Carter?” 

The men looked to Colonel Phillips for permission to leave, when he finally nodded they filed out of the room, their eyes drifting over Mina curiously as they passed her and Doctor Erskine.  “All right Doctor, what is she doing here, and why the secrecy?”

“Miss Gaspari,” Doctor Erskine turned to her.

She stepped forward and demonstrated her powers for the two people in front of her.  Their eyes widened in disbelief just like Doctor Erskine's had.  “This isn’t all I can do,” she informed them. “I can make people… more agreeable to suggestion as well and I can make myself invisible to the naked eye.”

Colonel Phillips’s eyes snapped up to hers, “You’re telling me you can control someone and become unseen to those around you?”

“Yes,” she said simply.  “I want to help, but I don’t want your superiors knowing about my powers.  I want to be a ghost, something the others whisper about around the campfire.  No one really knowing if I’m real or not.”

Agent Carter smiled, “Well I’m sure we can arrange that.”  She looked at Colonel Phillips, “If you agree to her terms then I’ll take her under my wing and see that she gets the proper training.”  

Colonel Phillips waved a hand, “She’s all yours, Agent Carter.  But if anything happens it’s on you.”

“Understood, Sir,” she responded before walking over to Mina and motioning for her to follow.  The two of them stepped out into the light of day again and moved away from the majority of the activity happening in the camp. “How did you come to be here, Miss Gaspari?  No one is supposed to know about Doctor Erskine and yet you sought him out.”

“Doctor Erskine recruited my friend Steve,” she told her.  “I made a promise to watch out for Steve, and I knew that they wouldn’t let me into the military just as a normal human.  So I knew I had to reveal my skill set.”

“Why did you promise to watch over this Steven fellow?”  She asked.

“You haven’t heard?”  Mina was certain that Doctor Erskine would have informed his superiors about Steve’s illness and his issues.  Agent Carter shook her head. Mina sighed, “Steve isn’t… well he’s not the healthiest of people. He’s been trying to enlist for the past year or so now, but he kept getting denied.  Before another friend of ours was shipped overseas I made him a promise to keep an eye on Steve.”

“Does this friend of yours also know of your gifts?”

Mina shook her head, “No, Bucky never knew.”

Agent Carter regarded Mina carefully catching the way Mina sounded as she said the other man’s name.  “You love this Bucky person don’t you?” 

“Yes,” Mina said quietly.  “He was actually shipped out this morning for England.”

The two of them came to a stop in front of another building.  “Tell me something about yourself, Miss Gaspari.”

Mina saw that this was where they outfitted the soldiers when they first arrived.  There was a tailor there to make sure everything fit like it was supposed to. “I’m first generation American, my parents came to the States before the first World War happened.”

“And here we are in another one,” Agent Carter said.

“I don’t really know what else to tell you, my life was very average before coming here.”  Mina wasn’t sure what else to tell Agent Carter, trying to think of something to say that didn’t make her sound completely boring or like some lovesick teenager was hard.

“How did you discover your unique gifts?”  Agent Carter was careful not to say ‘powers’, the tailor before them would think that she was merely talking about the same set of skills that she had.

Mina waiting until the tailor was done taking her measurements and they were walking out of the building before she said, “I was a child, my parents realized it first.  They were shocked because as far as either one of them was aware they never had these abilities. I was the first in the family to show them.”

“Did you practice using them?”

Mina nodded, “Not often, but yes I do.  My mother was always afraid someone was going to see me using them.  That the government would come for me and use me.”

“Well, I’ll see what I can do to make sure your skills are tip top shape and ready to be used.”  She looked over at Mina and smiled, “And call me, Peggy.”

 

The next day Mina was shaken awake by Peggy, her arms loaded with clothing for Mina.  She was instructed to put them on and meet her in front of the building they shared with one another.

Mina did so as quickly as she could, meeting Peggy on the small porch of their building.  “I’m meeting the recruits for Doctor Erskine’s experiment today,” she said. Mina had been filled in on why Steve had been brought to the camp the night before.  “I’ll be the one in charge of training them as well as you. We’ll train in the mens’ off time or when Sergeant Duffy is overseeing them. For now, just observe and help me keep them all in line.”

“I think I can do that,” Mina said with a nod.

“Good.”  She walked over and snapped, “Recruits, attention!”  The men snapped to attention at the sound of her voice.  She and Mina came around to face them. “My name is Agent Carter, and I will be overseeing your training.”

“I thought I had signed up for the U.S. Army, what’s with the accent?”  One of the recruits called out.

Peggy stepped closer to him, “What’s your name, soldier?”

“Hodge, Gilmore Hodge.”

“Right,” Peggy took a little step back.  “Please put your right foot forward, Hodge.”  Mina and Steve’s eyes met, they were both curious to see what she was going to do with the man.  He made a dirty comment, one that had Mina sneering, but before she could say anything to Peggy the other woman and thrown a punch and knocked Hodge on his ass.

“Agent Carter!”  Colonel Phillips barked.  Peggy straightened her suit and turned to the older man, saluting him before he said, “Are we testing out the new recruits?”

“Yes, Sir,” she responded dutifully, Mina could hear the respect in her tone.

“Good,” Colonel Phillips eyes roved over the men as he began to give a speech.

Peggy fell in beside Mina and said, “He says the same thing to every man that passes through here, I think I have the speech memorized.”

Mina bit back a laugh, Steve still watching the two of them interact with one another.  He wanted to know more about Agent Carter, he thought she was a very beautiful woman. He hoped he would be able to speak with Mina later and see what he could find out from her.

Peggy began to run the men through their warm-ups and give them orders until Sergeant Duffy came to relieve her of duty and take over the normal training of the recruits.

“Project Rebirth means that I have to watch over them,” Peggy informed Mina as they made their way toward one of the indoor training facilities where they could practice together in peace.  “We’re trying to find the best man to use the serum that Doctor Erskine has created. I’ll be helping decide who gets the serum, but the call is ultimately left up to Doctor Erskine himself since he knows more about the serum.”

They stepped into the new building, there were no windows which Mina was grateful for.  No one could watch her fail as she tried to do whatever Peggy instructed her to do. “Could it kill Steve if he’s chosen?”

“Possibly, he’ll be told of the risks before it happens, it’s up to him whether he goes through with the experiment or not,” Peggy said with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

Peggy began going over things that she wanted Mina to do like stretches and how to properly throw a punch.  She showed Mina how to close her fist so that she wouldn’t break a thumb when she threw her punch.   Mina worked on hitting one of the punching bags and kneeing it as well.  Peggy was surprised at how strong Mina was for someone as untrained as she was.  They continued to work together for the next hour, Mina could feel the sweat forming on her brow, and her muscles felt like they were on fire.  

Peggy praised her for a job well done and told her that they could go get lunch with the others.  “May I speak with Steve?” Mina asked.

“If you promise not to tell him anything about Project Rebirth,” Peggy said.  "This is all very top secret and show be kept that way."

“I promise,” she swore before grabbing the food they served her and heading over to the lone table where Steve was sitting.

He looked up from the food he was pushing around on his plate, his face brightening when he saw it was only Mina come to sit with him.  “How did your training go?” He asked her.

“Tiring, and yours?”

“Same,” he said with a chuckle.  “But I’m glad I’m here.” He chewed on his lip and looked like he wanted to ask her something.

“Spit it out,” she said before taking a bite of her food.  Bucky had been right, this was horrible.

“What’s Agent Carter like?”

“Peggy?”  Her eyes lit up as she took in Steve’s pink cheeks, “You like her!”  She grinned at him, happy to finally be able to tease him about the woman he liked. 

Steve sputtered, “I didn’t say that!”

“It’s all over your face, it’s about time you found someone interesting to actually have a crush on,” she took a bite of her bread.  “What do you want to know?”

“Anything,” Steve said.

“Well, obviously she’s British, and tough as nails too.  I don’t know, she’s just so strong. I don’t think I’ll ever be anything like her.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Steve chastised.  “She’s just been training longer.”

“Yes, I’m sure you’re right.”  She changed the subject and asked Steve how his training had gone and if he was ready to turn around and run home to Brooklyn.

He told her all the things he did that day.  He tried to make it sound like he wasn’t as tired as he was, but she could see it on his face.  They were wearing him out.

_ Bucky would be so upset me if he knew that I let his best friend join the army like this,  _ she thought to herself as she continued listening to Steve.  Despite him being tired he seemed genuinely excited to be there.  Mina was happy that he was happy, but she couldn’t get what Peggy had said out of her head about it being a possibility that Steve could die.  

Bucky would definitely not be pleased with her then.


	11. Chapter 11

Mina and Steve continued their training over the course of the next week.  Somedays Mina would watch Steve and the others train with Peggy standing beside her.  Other days she would be locked up in the gym by herself trying to work her powers so that she could learn to better control her abilities.  She liked those days the best.   She longed for the silence and solitude that it brought her, and for once in her life, she could work with her fire and not have to worry about her mother yelling at her for it.

Mina had definitely improved with her fire skills.  She could use her fire without scorching the walls or the targets that Peggy had brought in for her.  One of the days Peggy handed Mina a gun and showed her all the things she needed to know before letting her practice by herself.

She didn’t have bad aim, it helped that she could control where the bullet was going through.

Colonel Phillips came to check on her one day, she had snapped to attention the moment she realized it was him and not Peggy coming to check on her.  “I want a progress report,” he said in his gruff way.

“Yes, Sir,” Mina responded just as dutifully as Peggy would have.  “I have gained more mastery over my abilities, I can use my fire without scorching things, and my abilities with a gun are also adequate.”  She motioned toward the targets she had been practicing with.

Colonel Phillips walked over to them and inspected them.  He turned back to Mina when he was done, not looking any different than he had when he walked in, “I’m impressed, Agent Gaspari.”  It was the first time anyone had called Mina ‘agent’ and it sent a little thrill through her. “I’m glad you decided to come to us.  I have uses for you once we make it over to Europe.”

Her heart stuttered, he would be sending her to Europe.  “Thank you, Sir.”

“Come with me, training is over for the day.  We’ve picked someone for Project Rebirth.”

She began to follow him out of her training area, “Who?”  She shook her head, “That is if you don’t mind me asking, Sir.”

“Your friend, Steven Rogers, Agent Gaspari.  We’re heading to Brooklyn tomorrow for the procedure and you’re coming with us.  You’ll be watching over Mr. Rogers for the time being.”

“Yes, Sir.”  

Colonel Phillips looked down at her, “Go find him, I know you want to.”

“Thank you, Sir.  Have a good night!”  She rushed off in the direction of Steve’s barracks.  He was already in there with Doctor Erskine.

“Ah!  Agent Gaspari, I hear congratulations are in order for your promotion,” he said with a smile.

She gave him a shy one back, “I just learned myself.”  She looked at Steve, “Are you nervous about tomorrow?”

He shook his head, “No… well kinda, but nothing I can’t handle.”

“Steven will do beautifully,” Doctor Erskine was saying.  “I was just about to tell Steven about the serums origins, would you like to hear them as well, Miss Gaspari?”

“I would,” she replied.

“Well when I was still living in Germany I was a scientist and I was working on a way to enhance a person’s strength, well Hitler heard about me and he came to me wanting to use the serum for his own armies.  I refused so he sent Johann Schmidt, he is the head of a group known as HYDRA, to try and convince me otherwise. Still, I refused, but alas I was forced into continuing my research.   The serum that I created wasn’t ready yet, it wasn’t ready for human trials, but Johann wanted to use the serum for his own reasons.  You see Johann was obsessed with becoming the best, a god. He often looked to older religions like those of the Norse to fuel his fantasies of becoming the best there could be.  And when he took the serum it changed him greatly. Agent Carter was the one that saved my life after the experiment failed. I was brought here where I continued working on my serum.  I wanted to help put a stop to what Hitler and the others were trying to do.”

“Do you think this version of the serum will work on Steve?”  Mina asked worriedly.

“I cannot be a hundred percent positive.  Things could always go wrong, but I am sure that Steven will come out of this better than before,” Doctor Erskine tried to reassure Mina.  He stood, “I should go and give the two of you a moment. I will see you tomorrow, Steven. Get plenty of rest.”

They said their goodnights and then he was gone leaving Mina and Steve alone for the first time in a while.  “Don’t worry so much Mina,” Steve said, he rested a hand on top of hers. “Things will work out.”

“They better, because if they don’t I will have to come find you in the afterlife or else Bucky will never forgive me for letting his friend die,” she said fiercely.

“Bucky would understand, I’m a big boy, I can make my own decisions,” he said.

Mina wasn’t so sure, but she kept her mouth shut.  She stood, “I should go, you need your sleep before tomorrow.  I’ll be going with you,” she informed him. “I’m to act as your protector,” she grinned at him.  “Good night, Steve,” she gave him a hug and headed for the door.

“Night Mina,” he called after her before standing up to prepare for bed.

 

The morning came and Peggy, Steve, and Mina boarded a train for Brooklyn.  Colonel Phillips and Doctor Erskine had gone ahead to prepare for Steve’s arrival. Steve was fidgeting in his seat, Mina could feel the energy radiating off of him.

“You’ll be fine, Steve,” she whispered.  “I’ll be right there with you the entire time.”

“I know,” he whispered back.  “Thank you for coming with me, and doing all this for me.”

“What are friends for?”  She said with a smile.

The trained pulled into the station and the three of them took a cab to an antique shop in Brooklyn.  Mina watched as the streets passed her by. She was thinking of her parents and their restaurant not too far from here.  She wondered if all went well they would allow her to go see them.

She wasn’t paying much attention to the conversation that Peggy and Steve were having, but she did hear something about dancing and her mind flashed to Bucky and her at his sister’s wedding.  How sweetly he had held her in his arms.

She snapped out of her daydream when they arrived at their destination.  Peggy got out of the car first followed by Steve and then her. They were at some antique shop in Brooklyn, Mina hadn’t ever come in but she knew of the place.  Peggy got them inside the secret section of the shop where they had a secret military base and led them down the halls that were being monitored by military police.  They went through another set of doors into the lab where the procedure would take place.

Mina was baffled by the machinery that was in the room.  She had only seen such advancement at the Stark Expo, then her eyes landed on a man with dark hair, and she realized why the technology seemed so familiar. 

Howard Stark was in the room and would be helping with the experiment.

Mina looked over at Peggy and said, “I’ll get Steve settled and meet you with the others.”  Peggy nodded and headed off to the room where Colonel Phillips was waiting. Mina and Steve headed down the metal staircase where Doctor Erskine and Howard were waiting.

Howard looked at Mina and smiled at her, “Hello, I’m Howard Stark, and what is someone as beautiful as you doing here in our little hidey hole?”

Steve was trying not to laugh at Mina’s annoyed look.  Of course, he would hit on her, she had heard and seen in person how much a playboy he was.  “Agent Mina Gaspari, and I’m spoken for.”

Howard merely shrugged, “Worth a shot.”  He turned his attention to Steve, “And I’m guessing this is the man of the hour.”

“Howard Stark, I’d like you to meet Mr. Steven Rogers,” Doctor Erskine said.  “Madeline, please come prep, Mr. Rogers.” A nurse came over and whisked Steve away to begin preparing him for the procedure.  He glanced back at Mina who merely smiled at him hoping it would bring him some comfort. “Agent Gaspari, if you would please join the others, I assure you Steven is in good hands.”

She hesitated but headed back up the stairs and into the little room where Peggy and the others were waiting for her.  Doctor Erskine began to explain the procedure to everyone. What they would be putting into Steve’s system. If it worked he would be stronger, faster, and healthier than he had ever been before.

“We’re ready to begin,” Howard said.

Steve was lying in the large capsule, the blue liquid draining into his system.  Doctor Erskine told Howard to close it up and Mina watched as Steve disappeared from sight.  Peggy grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Mina was grateful to have her by her side.   Gradually a bright glowing light came from inside the capsule and Mina was forced to shield her eyes from it.  But then she heard Steve begin to cry out in pain and she stood abruptly. Her and Peggy both rushing out of the door.

“Stop!”  Mina screamed.  “Stop, you’re hurting him!”

“Kill it!”  Doctor Erskine shouted.  “Kill the reactor!”

“No!”  They all froze when they heard Steve’s voice.  “I can handle this!”

Mian gripped Peggy’s arm as they continued to work, the light only getting brighter.  Mina didn’t think she would see Steve alive when it was over. Sparks began to fly as the reactor hit a hundred percent, then suddenly it stopped.

“Open it,” Doctor Erskine ordered.

When they did not only was Steve alive, but he was larger and a lot more muscular than he had been when he went in.  Mina rushed down the stairs toward Steve. “Steve?!” He looked like he was on some kind of high, his breathing heavy, but not labored.

“Mina?”  He cracked his eyes opened and she let out a relieved laugh.

“Thank God you’re alive, you big idiot,” she would have hugged him if he hadn’t been so sweaty.  “How do you feel?”

He looked around the room, “Bigger.”

Peggy rushed over, “It actually worked.”

Someone handed Steve a shirt and he put it one, a rush of people coming down to see the success of the experiment for themselves.  But before they could pop a bottle of champagne there was an explosion followed by gunshots that had the room descending into chaos.  Doctor Erskine had been hit, Steve catching him before he could hit the ground.

It took Mina’s mind a second to catch up to what had just happened.  She knelt next to Steve, “Go, I’ll stay here.”

He looked at her but nodded his head and hurried to follow the man that had caused the explosion and who had shot Doctor Erskine.  Peggy joined Mina on the ground, “Is there anything you can do?”

Mina looked at her and shook her head regretfully, “No, my powers don’t work like that.  He’s already dead, that’s not something I can reverse.”

Colonel Phillips was raving mad, asking how a Nazi spy could have possibly gained access to their secret location through one of the government officials.  Mina stayed right with Doctor Erskine like she had promised until Steve came back. The spy was dead, he had killed himself, and the last of Doctor Erskine’s serum was gone.

Mina heard that there were plans to take samples of Steve’s blood to see if they could reproduce it from that, but even that might be a long shot.

“Are you okay?”  Mina asked when she finally managed to pull him over to a quiet corner.

Steve looked troubled, his hands clenching and unclenching.  “I’m fine, just a little shaken up is all.”

“They want to run tests on you, try to figure out how to get the serum out of your genetic code,” she told him.  “It could take a while before they’re able to recreate what Doctor Erskine managed to do with you.”

“Good, that means that this HYDRA group won’t be able to get it either.”  He looked down at himself, still shocked that he was no longer the skinny man he once was.  “They don’t need to have people like this for themselves.”

She couldn't have agreed more.  “Rogers! Gaspari! Get over here,” Colonel Phillips barked at them.  

Even with Doctor Erskine dead there was still work that had to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo you’re gonna notice a relationship change within the next few days. It’s still a Bucky x Mina fic but as I’m writing it other things are forming and so yeah just wanted to give a heads up.


	12. Chapter 12

Steve was frustrated once again, but this time it was with the orders he had been given by his superiors in the military.  Colonel Phillips wouldn’t let him go overseas to fight like he had wanted to, and now he was doing shows to try and get people to join the effort and “be a hero like Captain America”.  Mina had to laugh at the costume they put him in.   “And they say the government doesn’t have a sense of humor,” Mina teased as he came backstage after one of his performances.  She was ecstatic that they hadn’t decided to put her in a costume and make her go up on stage with him.

It had been a couple of weeks since Doctor Erskine’s death and Mina had been tasked with following Steve around and making sure that nothing happened to him.  She would patrol the audiences in secret, invisible to those around her, making sure that nothing like what happened to Doctor Erskine would happen to Steve. They had been all over the country and so far no more Nazi spies had tried to kill Steve or capture him after one of his shows.

Steve leveled her with a look, but she couldn’t fight off the grin at seeing him in his so-called Captain’s uniform.  The red, white, and blue suit made him look like an actor out of some movie rather than an actual member of the U.S. Army.  “Don’t,” he growled as he yanked his helmet off and slammed it down on his dressing room table. There were all kinds of flowers and love notes from women strewn about the small room.  He was quite popular with the ladies now that he was a six foot two super soldier.

A couple of the showgirls passed by his room, giggling and murmuring “Hi Captain America” before they disappeared from sight to go get changed themselves.  He would give them a shy smile, but for the most part he had no other interactions with them. She looped her arm through his and smiled up at him, “Come on, let’s go to my parent’s place for lunch. You have some free time before the next show and I’m sure they’d love to see us.”

“Let me change,” he said, his mood suddenly improving at the mention of seeing the Gasparis, he had missed them and he knew Mina had as well.

“Oh no, please wear the uniform,” she giggled as she gave him the once over.

“Get out!”  He ordered, but he couldn’t help, but smile. 

She raised her hands and backed out of the room.  “Sure thing, Captain Rogers,” she saluted him before shutting the door.

Steve merely shook his head and prepared to head out with Mina.  It would be nice to have some familiarity in his life.

The two of them caught a cab and headed to their little section of Brooklyn.  Alia was the one serving tables when they walked in, they hadn’t hired anyone to take Mina’s place since she had left.  And when she looked up to see who had entered the restaurant she nearly dropped the plates she was holding.

“Marcus!”  She cried. “Marcus,  _ vieni qui!” _

_ “Che cos'è?  Sono occupato,” _ her father complained as he came walking out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a dish rag.  He stopped short when he noticed his daughter, Alia’s arms already wrapped around her. “ _ Topolina?” _

Mina managed to break free of her mother and rushed over to hug her father _ ,  _ “Hi Papá.”

Alia was cooing over Steve, she couldn’t believe that this was the same man they had fed pizza too over the last couple of years.  “What did the army do to our little Steve?” 

Marcus turned, his eyes growing wide as he finally paid attention to the person that Mina had come with.  “Good Lord! Steve, what did they do to you?”

Steve chuckled, “It’s a long story, Mr. Gaspari.  Can Mina and I get some pizza and I’ll tell it to you over that?”

“Of course, give me a few minutes.”  He rushed back into the kitchen and Alia ushered them over to a table where they could sit while they waited.

“So how does it feel to be back home?”  He asked once they were alone again.

“Weird,” Mina responded, her eyes scanning the space around them, trying to commit every detail about the place to memory.  “The last time we were both here was the day we left for Camp Lehigh.” She ran her fingers over the smooth surface of the table, memorizing the way it felt beneath her fingers.  “I miss it some days, other days I’m too busy to remember what it was like before joining the army.”

“You and me both,” he said.  “But it feels good to be back somewhere familiar again.”

“It does,” she agreed.

Mina’s parents returned with the food and joined the two of them at the table.  Steve and Mina began their tale. Mina told them how she was promised her powers would not go beyond the knowledge of her superiors, that she would be a ghost in the army.  Steve on how his training went and what he had to go through to get as big as he was.

They left the part out about where Doctor Erskine had been shot and there was an explosion.  They told them that Steve was now on tour trying to drum up business for the army so they could get funds for their troops.  

Mina slid two tickets across the table to her parents.  “Come by later and see the show, we leave tonight for Italy, and it’s our last show here in the States for a while.”

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Alia said.  “We’ll be there.”

Steve and Mina left shortly after that to get back to the theater before Steve’s next performance.  Mina chose to stay in the lobby so that she could wait for her parents and sit with them while Steve was doing his performance.  It would be nice to be in the crowd for once rather than a shadow looking for any signs of danger.

When they finally arrived Mina took them to their seats and sat in between them.  They talked some more about all the things they didn’t get to discuss earlier. She was happy to be back with her parents, but it was also bittersweet since she would be leaving soon.

The show started and the crowd began to cheer as the girls appeared followed by Steve who gave his speech and did a few tricks to wow the crowd.  After Mina led her parents backstage so that they could all take a picture with Steve.

“We’ll hang it in the restaurant and tell everyone we knew you before you became big, literally and figuratively,” Alia reached up to pat Steve on the cheek.

Steve smiled and bent down to kissed her cheek, “It was good seeing you, Mrs. Gaspari.  I’m sure we’ll see you again before too long.”

“You take care of our little girl over in Italy,” Marcus said while wagging his finger at Steve.  

“I promise,” he hugged her parents one last time and then let Mina say her goodbyes to her parents before they packed everything up to head to the airport.  She kissed both her parents goodbye and hugged them for longer than necessary.

“I’ll write,” she promised.  “And I’ll be back before you know it.”

Steve poked his head out, “Mina, we need to go.”  Her parents gave her one last hug before she rushed off to join the others.

 

Mina had only been to Italy once, her parents had taken her over when her last remaining grandparent had died.  She thought that it was a beautiful country, but now all she could see was a country ravaged by war.

Too many homes and buildings were destroyed.  People were trying to clean up the mess the fighting had caused.  She forced herself to stop looking out the window. She didn’t want to remember Italy like this.  She wanted to keep that beautiful image she had.

Steve kept quiet, he knew that this was probably hard on her since this was her parents’ home country.

They made it to the camp where they would be entertaining the men later that day.  Mina waved goodbye to Steve to go in search for Peggy. 

Peggy wasn’t officially there, but Mina knew that Peggy and Colonel Phillips were both at the camp.

When Mina found her the two women shared a hug.  “How is he?” She asked Mina.

Mina rubbed her face with her hands, her body suddenly feeling very tired, “Very tired, the both of us are.  He doesn’t want to do this anymore. He wants to be here and fighting. I can’t say I blame him at this pointed.  He’s like a trained circus animal following orders. Senator Brant can shove this important job up his ass for all I care.”

Peggy got an amused look on her face, “My someone picked up some new words while I was away.”

Mina chuckled, “Maybe I’ve always had a colorful vocabulary but you never knew because it was in Italian.”

The two women laughed, Peggy was glad to have another woman there with her.  She hated being surrounded by men most of the time.   “Well, by all means, don’t let me stop you from swearing in front of me.”  She took a seat beside Mina and gazed out over the camp. “These men have been through hell,” Peggy turned her attention back to Mina.  “They lost half their men in an attack not too long ago.”

“Dead?”

“Presumed, but some of them could still be alive,” Peggy admitted.

“Which unit is this?”

“The 107th.”

The color drained from Mina’s face, “The… the 107th?  Are you sure?”

Peggy looked startled by Mina’s sudden change in behavior, “Yes, what’s wrong?”

“I need to speak with Colonel Phillips right now,” she got up and rushed out of the little tent they were sitting under.  Peggy rushed to stand up, calling out Mina’s name.

Mina could hear the sound of Steve’s show going on, but none of that matter.  She only had one thing on her mind at that current moment.

One person.

Where was Bucky?

 

Bucky’s screams echoed throughout the building.  His body felt like it was on fire. Whatever the doctor was doing to him was painful, he had been injecting him with something, but he couldn’t be sure if it was some sort of poison or some form of torture.

To be honest, Bucky didn’t care what it was.  He prayed for a swift death. Anything would be better than what he was going through.

“How is he taking the serum, Doctor Zola,” an accented voice asked.  

Bucky was too out of it to care who was speaking.  “He’s handling the new formula very well. With any luck he’ll be our first success.”

“Good, we don’t know when the Americans will unleash their version of the super soldier.  I want him ready before we have to find out.” The next thing Bucky heard was the sound of boots stomping away from the room where he was being held.

For a brief moment before he blacked out again he thought about Mina, he wondered if she and Steve knew he was missing in action yet, or if they had presumed he was dead.  He prayed to God that she was taking the news well.

His head lolled to the side and he blacked out, welcoming the relief of the void.


	13. Chapter 13

“Colonel Phillips!”  Mina rushed into his tent, out of breath and scared out of her mind.  “Is James Buchanan Barnes one of the missing men?”

Colonel Phillips looked up at Mina, his facial features never changing, “Agent Gaspari, what a pleasant surprise.”

“Sir,” her voice broke.  “Is James alive?”

Colonel Phillips took a deep breath, “We don’t know.  We’re assuming so.” Mina’s knees gave out and Peggy caught her and sat her in a chair.  “There’s also a possibility that he’s a prisoner of war, that HYDRA took him and the 107th to one of their bases here in Azzano.”

“Who’s a prisoner of war?”  Mina and everyone in the tent turned to see Steve standing there, a worried look on his face.

“Captain Rogers, done with your little show already?”  Colonel Phillips asked.

“Who’s a prisoner of war?” Steve asked again, this time a bit more harshly than he had the first time.

“Bucky,” Mina whispered.  “Him and the 107th, they’re missing,” her voice still low.

“She’s in shock,” Mina heard Peggy say.  Mina couldn’t really think of anything else but Bucky, whether he was alive or dead.  All their plans and shared dreams were crumbling away in front of her. She didn’t snap out of it until she heard something about saving the men and winning the war.

She looked up at Colonel Phillips, “What do you mean you’re not sending anyone to rescue those men?”

Steve looked at Mina, saw the way her hands tightened on the arms rests of the chair she was seated in.  He even thought he saw her eyes glowing slightly. Her power scared him, and he could tell it scared Colonel Phillips a little too by the way he moved his hand closer to his gun.  Mina was quicker though and would have him in her thrall before he could pull the trigger on her.

“We can’t risk any more lives by going and possibly saving those men.  It’s too late, Agent Gaspari. Those men’s only hope is that we win this war.”

Mina stood, her eyes narrowed.  She looked like she wanted to say something, but she stormed out of the tent, her jaw clenched tightly together.  Steve chased after her, not wanting to say anything else to Colonel Phillips.

Mina stormed into the tent where Steve and the girls had their props for their show.  “How can he just leave them there?!” She picked up a chair with her powers and threw it against a pole, the chair splintering, her turquoise flames dancing over the wood.  “They could still be alive!”

Steve held up his hands, he wasn’t sure what he would do if she turned her powers on him, “Mina--”

“It’s not just Bucky,” she told him.  “Yes, I’m worried about him the most. But those other men have loved ones too, just like Bucky.  I can’t just let them die!”

“Mina--”

“There has to be something that we can do,” she continued, her mind working a million miles per minute that she didn’t even realize that Steve was trying to tell her something until his hands clamped down on her shoulders and forced her to look up at him.

“Mina!”  She blinked up at him, she could see the worry in his eyes, he was just as distressed over this as she was.  “We’re going to save them.”

She looked at Steve confused, “How?  Colonel Phillips will never go for us going to that HYDRA, you heard what he said.  He doesn’t want to spare the men for a rescue mission.”

“Then we go alone,” he told her.

“And how are you going to do that?”  Both of them turned to see Peggy standing there with her hands on her hips.  The two of them were quiet, not sure what they were going to say or even how they were going to get to the base.  Peggy sighed, “Come with me.”

“Agent Carter,” Steve started to say, but Peggy leveled a look at him that had him closing his mouth.

They headed deeper into the camp until they came upon a tent that didn’t look army issued.  “Mr. Stark,” Peggy called out. “Are you in there?”

The tent flap was pulled back and Howard Stark appeared, “What can I do for you, Agent Carter?”

“I need you to fly Captain Rogers and Agent Gaspari as close to the HYDRA base as you can get them.”

Steve and Mina shared a look with one another, shocked by this.  “Agent Carter, Mr. Stark you don’t have to—“

“No, no Captain,” Howard looked up at him. “I’ll do it.”  He stepped out of his tent, “We leave tonight once it begins to grow dark, we don’t want the enemy to see us coming from a mile away do we?”

Mina grabbed Steve’s hand and looked up at him, “We’ll get him back Steve.”

 

Jumping from the plane was one of the scariest things that Mina had ever done.  She felt as though she was going to throw up as she stared down at the ground below.  Bombs were going off in the air as HYDRA soldiers tried to take the plane down.

Steve jumped first and Mina knew she had to go after him.  She had to remember that this was for Bucky and the other men that were trapped at the HYDRA base.  She couldn’t leave them there to rot or die.

She leaped from the plane without a second thought.  

The air rushed around her making it hard to breathe.  The bombs were loud in her ear, but she was soon on the ground, Steve there to catch her as she stumbled a bit.  “You good?” He whispered.

She nodded her head, “Fine, just… let’s never do that again.”

Steve chuckled and clapped her on the back before picking his way through the trees, the two of them moving as silently as they could.  Mina could see the lights of the base through the trees and dread settled in her stomach. This was the first time either of them had been on a mission like this.  The first time either of them would see real battle, get to be in the fighting for themselves.

She had to remind herself that these men wanted to take over the world, that they wouldn’t think twice about capturing her and torturing her.  These weren’t her neighbors or friends back in New York. This was a whole new ballgame for her.

They made it to the edge of the wooded area where they heard a truck coming their way.  The two of them ducked down to be concealed in the foliage, waiting until the lights had passed before rushing after it and hopping aboard and knocking out the guards in the back.

“Can you conceal yourself until we’re inside?”  Steve asked her. “We don’t need HYDRA knowing about your abilities and then trying to capture you.”

She nodded and disappeared before his eyes, “Better?”

He blinked, still staring at the spot where he had just seen her, “Better, and also a little creepy.”

“You’ll get used to it, Captain,” she patted him on the shoulder and made him jump.

The two of them made it off the truck the moment it stopped, Steve managing to evade the soldiers milling around the outside of the base.  “I’ll free the prisoners, see if you can find anything useful for us.”

“All right, and Steve?”

“Yeah, Mina?”  He turned to look at her and then remembered he couldn’t see her, but he could feel her hand on his back.

“Be careful,” he felt her lips ghost over his cheek and then he knew she was gone.

Mina hurried down the darkened hallways, peering into random rooms when she could, but so far there was nothing useful that she could take back to the others.  She knew they were making weapons, but they were odd, not like any she had seen before. 

She made it to a room where she heard someone muttering in a broken voice.  She figured it was one of the prisoners who had been brought in for questioning.  Following the sound of the voice she gasped when she saw who it was lying on the table.  “Bucky?”

She became visible once more, ignoring the sounds of fighting going on outside, Steve had succeeded in his task of freeing the others.  She knew he would be on his way to find Bucky now.

Mina was about to say more when she heard the sound of someone approaching.  She made herself invisible again and discovered a man hurrying into the room.  He headed into a small office off of the room where Bucky was and began cramming papers into his briefcase and carrying anything he could get his hands on.

He was gone as quickly as he came.  She heard another set of footsteps and Steve appeared.  “Steve!” Mina called him over. “Help me!”

“Bucky,” Steve rushed over and began ripping the restraints off of him.  

Mina helped Bucky up, he looked confused to see the two of them there.  “Mina? Steve? What the hell are the two of you doing here? And Steve when did you get so big?”

“Now’s not the time for question and answer,” Mina snapped.  “We need to get out of here before we’re discovered.”

“The others have the guards distracted enough that we’ll be fine.”  An explosion rocked the building. The three of them froze, “Mina’s right, we need to get out of here.”

Mina helped Bucky as they raced down the hall as fast as Bucky could go.  “When did the two of you join the army?”

“Right after you left,” Mina told him.  “Steve was asked to join a project. And now he’s big because of it.”  Her hand held onto his tightly, relieved to see him alive. “My reasons are a little harder to explain.”  A guard popped around the corner and Mina’s fire flared to life, she moved her hand and slammed the guard against the wall so hard that he left an impression in the drywall.  Bucky stared at her in utter shock. “I promise I’ll explain when we’re not trying to escape.”

He clamped his mouth shut, still not quite believing what he was seeing.  It was almost like the two people in front of him were complete and total strangers.

They wound their way through the base before coming face to face with Johann Schmidt.  The three of them froze as they took in the face of the leader of HYDRA. Mina knew instantly that there was something off about him.  “Captain America, we finally meet.” His eyes scanned over Mina, “I’m afraid I have no idea who you are fräulein.”

She sneered at him, “And you’re not going to find out either.”

He grinned at her causing shivers to go down her spine, “We will see about that.”  He turned his head back to Steve, “I’m afraid you’re too late, Captain Rogers. HYDRA is a force to be reckoned with.  You cannot possibly beat us.”

“If you’re so sure about that then why are you running and destroying your base?”  Steve narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him. He knew that if what Schmidt had said was true then he would have been captured and thrown in one of the cells right along with the others.

“I was Erskine’s greatest success, Mr. Rogers.  He made me a god.” Reaching around they watched as he began to pull away at his skin.  All of them watching in horror as he revealed a red skull. 

“You’re no god,” Mina spat.  “You’re a demon pretending he’s divinity.”

“We shall see, fräulein,” he hit a button and caused the catwalk they were on to separate so that the three of them couldn’t get to him and the other man.  “This has been fun, and I can’t wait to see more of you, but I have places that I need to be. Goodbye, Captain.” The two men disappeared into an elevator.

More explosions went off, Steve whirled around trying to decide which was the best place to make their escape.  “Up, we need to go up.”

The group hurried up a set of metal stairs to the level above them.  A metal beam was their only way across to the other side where they could make their escape.  “Mina goes first,” Bucky insisted.

“No, you’re going first, and I’m not going to take no for an answer.”  She gave him a stern look, “I’ll be right behind you.”

He looked like he wanted to argue and Mina was prepared to use her abilities on him to get him to go across, but he merely blew out a breath and began to cross.  The explosions were getting closer and Mina was beginning to worry that they might not make it out of the base in time.

When Bucky was almost across the metal beam Steve told her to go.  She climbed on and hurried across just as quickly as she could. Bucky helped her over the beam, his arm still around her waist as they yelled for Steve to hurry.

Before he could step onto the beam an explosion rocked the platform they were on, nearly sending Mina and Bucky tumbling onto the metal platform.  When they regained their balance they saw that the beam was no gone and Steve was stuck on the other side.

“Go!”  He shouted at them.  “Get out of here!”

“I’m not leaving you here,” Mina argued.  “We all go or not at all.”

Steve looked torn, but then he moved a metal rod out of his way, backing up he prepared to make a jump for it.  He came racing forward throwing himself into the air, Mina and Bucky holding their breath.

Fire erupted before their eyes and Steve landed with a thug against the platform Bucky and Mina were standing on.  The two of them hurried to pull him up. He was shaking slightly, “Easy.”

“Come on,” Mina rolled her eyes.  “No more heroics for the rest of the evening.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the two men parotted.

It was good to have the two of them back together again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update! I normally wait until Midnight, but I decided to update this a little early today. Enjoy!


	14. Chapter 14

Bucky wouldn’t let go of Mina’s hand the entire walk back from the HYDRA base.  He was too afraid that this was all a dream and he would wake up and be strapped to the table in the lab again.  Mina could tell that that was the directions his thoughts were taking so she squeezed his hand reassuringly just to let him know she was really there and that they were both safe in sound with one another again.  “Tell me everything,” he whispered against her ear.  It had been so long since they had seen one another and he knew that there was a lot he had missed, she had powers!  How could he not know that she had abilities?  And what the hell happened to Steve?

They were at the front of the group with Steve beside them, the other men trailing along behind them.  “The night we went to the fair Steve met a man named Doctor Abraham Erskine, he accepted Steve into the army.  You told me you wanted me to watch over him so I revealed my abilities to Dr. Erskine and then to Colonel Phillips and Agent Carter.  Agent Carter trained me along with the men in Steve’s group. Steve was chosen to be the first in a line of super soldiers. Doctor Erskine was unfortunately killed and Steve has been touring trying to raise money for the war.  When we both found out that you and your squad had been captured we did what we felt was right, we went against our orders to come and save you.”

Bucky let out a laugh, “That sounds exactly like something the two of you would do.”

She shrugged her shoulders, a small grin on her face, “You know us so well.”

He kissed the side of her head, happy to have her back.  Nothing else was said as they continued their journey back to the camp.  They were still a few hours away, but with each passing step the tension in the air became less and less.  Everyone relieved to be away from HYDRA and whatever they had been making the men do.

The camp came into view and the other soldiers rushed to greet the group coming.  Their cheers ringing through the relatively silent area. Mina and Steve bother came to a stop in front of Colonel Phillips, both of them ready to accept whatever punishment they would be handed for disobeying their orders and leaving the camp.  “We’re here to surrender ourselves for disciplinary action,” Steve told him.

Colonel Phillips looked them both over and shook his head slightly, “That’s not going to be necessary Captain, Agent.  Good job.”

“Thank you, Sir,” they responded.

Cheers rang out from the men and they came up to thank Steve and Mina for saving their friends and comrades.  They took the wounded to the medical tent to treat them while the others were led to the dining tent where they would get a good meal.

Mina tried to get Bucky to go to the medical tent, but he refused, wanting to spend time with her rather than being checked out by a professional.  “I want you to show me your gifts,” he whispered against her ear.

She bit her lip and looked up at him through her lashes.  “Go see the doctor, James,” her power flowed over him and for a moment he looked stunned before turning and walked toward the medical tent where the others were.

“That’s one power down,” she chuckled as Steve stepped up beside her.

“We’ll be moving soon,” he informed her.  There’s a better base we’re moving too where I’ll help them locate the other HYDRA bases so we can take them down as well.”

“When do we leave?”

“As soon as those men are checked and deemed okay for moving,” Steve responded.

“All right, I’ll be in my tent getting some much needed rest.  Wake me in the morning so I know what’s going on.”

“Will do, goodnight Mina.”

“Night, Steve,” she waved at him before heading off in search of her tent.  Her bedroll wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, but it would do the trick just fine.  She looked forward to moving to this new base where she would hopefully have an actual bed and a place to shower.

 

A few hours later Mina woke to the sound of the flap to her tent being opened.  She sat up her hands ready to either throw some punches or use her abilities when she heard, “Hey, it’s me.  It’s Bucky.”

She relaxed, “James, what the hell are you doing in my tent in the middle of the night?”

She heard him chuckle and then he sat beside her.  “I wanted to see you, I remember someone promising me that she would show me her powers.”  His lips skimmed her ear as he whispered to her, he didn’t want to alert anyone to his presence inside her tent.  He had had a hell of a time skirting the guards patrolling the camp.

“I already showed you one,” she whispered back, trying to studiously ignore the way his hand was creeping up her thigh.

“The fire in the HYDRA base doesn’t count, I was still half out of it when that happened.  In fact, I could have dreamt that that had happened in my tortured state,” his teeth grazed her ear and his hand had gone higher causing her breath this hitch.

She glared at him, she could see the smug grin on his face.  “I hate you,” she growled.

“No you don’t,” he captured her lips with his in a silencing kiss.  Her eyes fluttered shut and she wrapped her arms around his neck as she moaned into his mouth.

“James,” she whispered, her voice husky.  “Stop teasing me.”

“I‘m not doing anything, doll,” he whispered, she knew he was smirking from the sound of his voice.  

She kissed him again and pulled him on top of her, her hands found the buttons of his shirt and she slowly began to unbutton them, her nails dragging down his chest and torso causing him to shudder.  He didn't think he would ever get to feel her hands on his skin again, but he wasn't going to waste a moment of his time with her, and he was certainly going to make up for lost time.  The two of them kept as quiet as they could, careful not to disturb the others in the tents nearby, and not wanting to alert the guards.  There would be hell to pay if they discovered him in her tent and neither of them wanted to get into trouble.

Bucky curled up next to her, his arms wrapped around her waist, and her head tucked under his chin.  “I missed you,” all traces of his earlier teasing tone were now gone.

“I missed you too, Bucky, and I promise I’ll show you my powers, but we need to be somewhere more private when I do.  No one is supposed to know, I’m a ghost.”

“All right, but why did you never tell me before?”  She could hear the hurt in his voice, he didn’t think she trusted him enough with this secret to tell him while they were together in Brooklyn.

“My whole life I’ve kept these powers a secret, my parents made me promise that I would tell because they were afraid the government would come after me.  It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, it’s that I’m not accustomed to sharing this part of my life with anyone else. The only reason why Steve knew was because I saved him one day after you had left.  Then when he went into the army I went with him to keep an eye on him like you asked me to.”

“Thank you for keeping him safe for me,” he murmured. “I would relinquish you from duty now that he’s, uh well, bigger, but knowing Stevie he’ll still get himself into trouble.  Probably even more now, probably got a hero complex already, thinking he's invincible or something.”

She chuckled softly, “Knowing Steve you’re probably right.”

“Get some rest, doll,” he held her a bit tighter and pulled her blanket up higher to fight off the cold.

 

In the morning Mina rose and found Bucky was missing. Early morning light was seeping in under the cracks at the bottom of the tent.  She let out a sigh, she looked forward to the days when he could stay with her for an entire night and she could wake up in his arms.

She got dressed and headed for the mess tent where the others had gathered. The men were certainly in higher spirits than they had been when Mina and Steve had arrived.  Cheering erupted when Mina entered causing her to pause, her cheeks coloring.  Bucky bound over to her and captured her lips with his, the cheers became something else.

They had all heard about her through Bucky and now they officially knew the girl that had him wrapped around her finger.  He pulled away and grinned, “Morning, doll.”

She was a bit breathless, surprised by his greeting, but pleased nonetheless.  “Morning, Bucky.”

He slipped his hand in hers, long gone were the days when their touches were awkward and unsure.  Bucky no longer cared who saw them, he was in love with Mina whole heartedly and he didn’t care who knew it.  “Come meet my friends,” he said as he pulled her towards a table filled with men. “Guys meet my girl, Mina. Mina this is Dum Dum Dugan, Jim Morita, Monty, Gabe Jones, and Jacques,” he pointed out each man to her.

“It’s nice to meet you all, Bucky has talked about you in his letters,” she said with a shy smile.

Dum Dum chuckled, “What lies have you been spreading now Barnes?”

Bucky grinned, “I never lie, Dugan.”

There were snide remarks made that Bucky ignored as he and Mina took their seats. Breakfast went by smoothly all of them swapping stories about their time in basic or their childhoods. Each of them wildly different from the other.

Things quieted down when Colonel Phillips appeared before them. “I want all of you to be prepared to leave by o’ nine hundred, we’re moving to a new base gentlemen… and ladies.”  He looked around the tent, “That is all.” With that he was gone leaving the tent buzzing with murmurs from the men.

“It’ll be nice to get out of the cold,” Jim commented as he took a bite out of his toast.  “I’m tired of sleeping on the ground.”

“Being able to sleep in a bed again does sound nice,” Bucky said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.  Mina hid her smirk by taking a bite of the oatmeal she had been given.

Steve watched the two of them together, he knew something was up by the mischievous glint in Bucky’s eye, and the way Mina shifted in her seat trying to hide her growing smile.  He knew that the two of them had been intimate in that moment, and for a moment he couldn’t help but feel envious of them.

It surprised him, but at the same time, he wanted the closeness the two of them had.  He wanted to be able to go to sleep at night and hold his girl in his arms. He glanced to where Peggy was having her meal by herself, a file laying in front of her.  Her brows were furrowed as she focused on whatever it was she was reading.

“Why don’t you go talk to her?”  Mina questioned. She had followed Steve’s gaze when she realized he wasn’t paying a bit of attention to their conversation.

He shook his head, “She just sees me as another soldier, it’s fine.”

Mina frowned but kept her comments to herself.  

Once breakfast had been cleared away Mina headed back to her tent to pack up what she wouldn’t need anymore, leaving the rest of it for in the morning before they all left.  Bucky snuck into her tent that night like he had, but instead of fooling around the two of them just laid there and talked.

 

They moved bases and once they were settled in and had some free time Bucky took Mina to a small dance hall in the town where they were staying.  “It’s like the one back in Brooklyn,” he commented as they stepped inside.

She smiled as she saw the young couples together, some of them in military uniforms.  “I miss home,” she admitted.

“So do I, doll,” he said.  “But let’s not think about that now, let’s just have a good time.”  He pulled her onto the dancefloor and held her in his arms. Mina still couldn’t quite believe that she got to be here with him, that she was in his arms once again.

“I thought I would have to wait until after the war to do this again,” she told him as a slower song began to play.

“I did too, but I’m glad you’re here with me now.”  He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

When he pulled away she said, “Bucky there’s something I need to tell you, and you can’t run away from me this time.”

He knew what was coming, “I love you too, Mina Gaspari.”

She looked up at him startled, “How did you--?”

“Know?”  She nodded her head.  “I knew that was why you had come to the airport the day I was shipped out, but I couldn’t bear to hear it at the time.  All I could think of was you saying you loved me and then me coming over here and dying, and how devastated you would be when you learned it.”

She cupped his face with one of her hands, “Oh Buck.”  She reached up and kissed him again, the two of them getting lost in their own little world.  She pulled away slightly, “I love, Bucky Barnes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! A double update today!


	15. Chapter 15

The war continued on for the next two years.  Steve and the others fighting HYDRA one base at a time.  Mina helped them sometimes, but her presence had gone unnoticed by the other Howling Commandos.  She heard whispers about herself, HYDRA called her Ghost, they feared her because they thought that a vengeful spirit of one of their victims had come to take revenge on them.   They knew that Schmidt didn’t think it was a spirit like his men did, but he knew something wasn’t right.  She knew that if her powers were to be revealed to him that he would come for her and try to steal her powers or in the very least try to replicate them.

Colonel Phillips had assured her that he would never allow that to happen.  As long as she didn’t blow her cover on her secret missions with the Howling Commandos she was safe, not even his superiors knew she existed outside of her “agent” status.

Bucky worried that one day she would be caught and experimented on just like he had been, but the day never happened.

Steve had himself a new shield and proudly showed it off to Mina after he got it.  “Steve, it’s a dinner plate!” She looked at the shield and shook her head, “What are you going to do with just a shield?”

“I’ll have a gun, Mina,” he rolled his eyes at her.

“You can’t even protect your whole body with that,” she scolded.

Bucky stood back and tried not to laugh, but failed.  “Mina, you’re not going to change his mind, he’s keeping the shield whether we like it or not.”

“It’s ridiculous!”  She turned back to Bucky.  “He can’t possibly protect himself with it.”

“Actually the metal it’s made from is one of the strongest metals on earth,” Howard cut in from where he was working.  He liked hearing the three of them bicker sometimes, it reminded him of a small family, not something he had had growing up.  “He should be just fine with it if he protects himself properly.”

Mina let out an indignant huff, “Fine, get shot, but don’t expect me to feel sorry for you when you do!”

She turned on her heel and stormed off to go find Peggy to complain to the other woman what Steve had picked out as his choice of weapon.  The three men watched her leave. Bucky grinning as he saw the way her shoulders were squared in determination and frustration. “God, I love that woman,” he said with a chuckle.

“Yeah laugh it up,” Steve lightly shoved his shoulder.  “Wait until she sees what you’re carrying.”

“Hey, I have a gun thank you very much,” Bucky replied.

“She’ll wish you had a shield,” Steve shot back.

“My girl knows I can take care of myself.  You on the other hand she knows has a knack for getting into sticky situations.”

Steve shook his head, “I’ll be fine.”

 

“Doctor Zola will be on a train heading through the Alps in a few days time,” Colonel Phillips was debriefing the Howling Commandos, Peggy, and Mina.  “We just got word through some decoded messages that he’s needed somewhere and he’s needed there quickly. Rogers, I want you and your men to board that train and capture him.”

“Is there anything else you can tell us?”  Dugan asked.

“Not much, we’ll keep our ears to the ground and see what else we can come up with,” Colonel Phillips responded.  “Agent Carter and Agent Gaspari will intercept anything that they deem useful for you all to know.” Peggy and Mina nodded their heads. “You’re dismissed.”

Steve stood and told the Howling Commandos to come with him but Mina and Peggy stayed behind.  “I take it I won’t be going with them,” Mina said after a moment of silence.

“You would be correct,” Peggy told her.  “You’ll be in too close quarters. The others would know you were there and it would blow your cover.”

Mina didn’t like it but her identity was to remain absolutely secret.  “I understand,” she said. “I don’t like it, but I will stay behind and help wherever I’m needed.”

“Glad to hear it, Agent,” Colonel Phillips said.  “I’ll leave it to you and Peggy to get us the information that we need.”  He exited the room they were in.

Peggy looked at Mina, “Are you going to be all right letting them do this by themselves?”  She knew Mina liked to be there to make sure that Bucky and Steve were okay and not injured as they took on HYDRA.

“I’ll be fine,” she lied.  “They’re both big boys, they can handle themselves.”

Peggy gave her a look, “Those two get into more trouble than any men I have ever met.  Are you truly sure that they can handle this?”

Mina laughed, “No, but I trust that the two of them will be able to keep one another in check while I’m not around.”

Peggy nodded her head, she worried about Steve no matter how much she tried to shove it down.  She cared for him and wanted to see him survive the war. She wanted what Mina and Bucky had with Steve.  She knew Steve liked her, but she just couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth.   She suggested they get to work, not wanting to get too deep into her feelings over Steve.  Mina didn’t comment, she knew Peggy had feelings for Steve, but she also knew that Peggy would come to her when she was ready.

That night after the two women had finished what they could they invited the Howling Commandos out for a drink.  They would be heading out within the next few days to capture Doctor Zola and they could all use a drink.

Peggy put on one of her best dresses and did her makeup to perfection.  Mina wore the same dress she had one her first date with Bucky, she had brought it with her just in case the need ever arose where she would find herself in need of a dress.  Right now she was thanking herself for the foresight to pack it.

Bucky met her at the bar where the soldiers liked to go, “Dance with me?”  She nodded her head, her smile lighting up the room. 

Peggy watched the two of them from the table where Steve was situated.  He wanted to ask Peggy to dance with him, but he knew that she wanted to wait until after the war to do that.  “They really do look happy with one another,” she said with a soft smile.

Steve wasn’t even paying attention to Mina and Bucky, he was too busy looking at her, trying to memorize the way she looked.  “They do,” he murmured causing Peggy to look over at him.

A blush slowly rose to her cheeks, “Captain Rogers--”

Steve shook his head, “I would ask you to dance, but I know you’re waiting for the right partner.”  He was remembering the day he had been kissed by Private Lorraine. “And you’re right, you should wait until this is all over and you find the right man to dance with, whether it’s me or someone else.”

Before Peggy could respond Mina rushed over and held out her hand to Steve, “Dance with me, Captain?”  She had a smirk on her face like she knew what she was interrupting. She wanted to see if Steve would man up and finally ask Peggy to dance or if he would chicken out.

Steve stood and took her hand, “Come on, Agent, let’s go show Sergeant Barnes how to properly dance.”

“I heard that, punk!”  Bucky called out from the bar as he ordered himself a drink.

“You were meant to,” Steve called back before pulling Mina into his arms and twirling her around the dancefloor.

Bucky took Steve’s seat next to Peggy and said, “He really is a good guy.”

Peggy’s lips twitched upward as she saw Steve laugh at something Mina said, “I know.”

The two of them sat there and watched as the people they loved continued to dance together before rejoining them for the rest of the night.

 

Bucky knew he wasn’t going to survive the train ride.  Intuition told him that he wasn’t going to make it out of there.  His mind went to thoughts of Steve and Mina. He closed his eyes and regretted the things he never got to tell either of them.  Mina would be devastated, Steve would probably blame himself.

But there was nothing that could be done.  Destiny had already set her sights on him and he knew he wasn’t going to be able to escape this time.

Taking a deep breath he picked up Steve’s fallen shield and aimed it at the HYDRA agent in the metal suit.  Before Bucky could get a shot in the agent fired at him, the blast from his gun ricocheting off of Steve’s shield and sent Bucky flying backward through the hole in the side of the train.

He managed to grab onto a railing, Steve was calling his name, telling him to hold on.  Bucky could feel the metal bar struggling to stay in place as he reached for Steve’s hand.  But then the metal snapped and Bucky was falling, crying out in terror as the world below rushed up to meet him.

When he landed on the ground all he felt was pain before he blacked out, praying for a swift death.  

 

Steve was a wreck, but he had no idea how he was going to tell Mina that Bucky was dead and they wouldn’t be able to retrieve the body.  He could imagine it now, and he didn’t want to see the utter devastation on her face as he told her that he had failed to protect him. The other Howling Commandos offered to inform her instead, allowing Steve to grieve in his own way, but he refused.

It should come from him, it had to come from him.

Mina was waiting in her room with Peggy, the two of them laughing.  Peggy knew how hard it was for Mina when she was waiting for Bucky to return from the missions that she wasn’t allowed to go on.  She did everything in her power to distract her as they waited.

Peggy noticed Steve standing in the open doorway first and knew that the mission hadn’t gone well.  She stood and Mina finally turned around. The smile slipping from her face. “I’ll give you two some privacy,” Peggy murmured as she stepped out of the room.

“What is it?”  Mina stood and moved closer to Steve.  “What happened? Where’s Bucky?” Steve flinched, and Mina suddenly felt lightheaded. “No, no, no!”  She clutched Steve’s arms, “Tell me he’s alive, Steve! Please tell me he’s still alive.”

Steve dropped his head, “I’m sorry, Mina.  He… he fell, he’s gone.”

The scream that Mina let out rang throughout the entire building, the other Howling Commandos flinching and dropping their heads.  The other troops closing their eyes. They had grown fond of Mina during her time there, thought of her as a friend. And they knew how much Bucky meant to her and how much she meant to him in turn.

Steve caught Mina before she fell to the ground, her scream turn into soft sobs.  “I’m sorry,” he murmured over and over again as he held onto her. His own tears falling on her head.

 

The day following Bucky’s accident Mina was despondent, she refused to eat anything.  She blamed herself for letting him convince her to stay behind. If she had been there then things would be different.  She would have saved him.

Steve tried to tell her otherwise, but she wouldn’t hear it.  “It’s my fault,” she would say in her empty voice. “It’s all my fault.  Oh God, Becs, and Mrs. Barnes, and Mr. Barnes….” She buried her face in her hands, “They’re going to hate me.”

“They’re not going to hate you,” Steve said softly.  “They won’t. It wasn’t your fault that Bucky died, Mina.  Please realize that.”

Peggy entered the room, “Steve, may I have a moment with Mina?”

Steve glanced at Mina as if asking for her permission to leave.  She merely nodded, and Steve got up a bit reluctantly. Peggy sat down beside Mina on her bed, “They went through Sargeant Barnes’s personal effects the other day.”  She reached into her pocket and pulled out a navy blue velvet box. “They found this in one of his bags.”

Mina took the box with shaky fingers and gently lifted the lid to reveal an engagement ring.  It was simple, with a gold band and one diamond. “Why did he have this?”

“I asked the others, they said he found it in one of the little villages we passed through.  He thought of you….” Peggy wasn’t sure how to tell her the rest. “He was going to propose as soon as this last mission was over.”

Fresh tears sprung up in Mina’s eyes and she closed the lid to the box, holding it to her chest as she cried.  Peggy wrapped her arms around Mina and held her until Mina grew too tired and fell asleep.

 

A few days later Mina appeared in the mess hall, she was in fresh clothes and her hair was tied back.  Her eyes were no longer red, but there were dark circles under them. She grabbed some food and moved over to where Steve and the others were sitting.

None of them were sure what to say.  The entire mess hall was quiet. Mina grew frustrated, “Oh for fuck’s sakes!”  She slammed her hands down on the table. “Just talk! Don’t act like I’m going to burst into tears at the slightest sound.”  No one was sure what to say after the outburst, so Mina stood up and stormed out of the room.

It wasn’t until later that Steve came to find her, she was twirling Bucky’s engagement ring around on her finger, staring off into the distance.  “Mina,” he stood awkwardly beside her not sure if he should sit down or not.

“He’s really gone,” her voice held none of its usual teasing tone.  “I thought I’d wake up and find it all to be some horrible nightmare, but each day I wake and each day I realize that he’s never coming back.”

Steve felt like the worst person in the world, “Mina, he loved you so much.  He wouldn’t want this for you. This was his biggest fear.”

She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, “Please leave Steve, I don’t want to be bothered right now.”

He quietly left and Mina resumed her thousand yard stare. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sick y'all, so early update in case I'm too out of it tomorrow. I hope y'all don't hate me after this.


	16. Chapter 16

“We’re going after Schmidt,” Steve announced.  “And we’re knocking on the front Goddamn door.”

“Steve,” Peggy spoke, a worried look on her face.  She knew how emotionally distraught he and Mina both were.  They had just lost someone of great importance to them, and she knew they probably weren't thinking clearly right now. “Maybe that isn’t the best idea.”

He looked at her, none of his usual softness to be found, “Why not?  We make Schmidt feel like he’s won. I’ll be captured,” he used air quotes around ‘captured’.  “Then the rest of you will come in guns blazing when they feel the safest. I’ll go in first and the rest of you follow.”

“We have less than twenty-four hours before he enacts his plan to hit the U.S.,” Mina said.  Everyone looked at her, the blank look on her face as she spoke was unsettling, her eyes seemed darker like they had lost the spark of life that had always been there. “We need to move now.”  They began devising a plan with Steve acting as the bait.  He would go in first, with the loss of his best friend they would expect him to be reckless and arrogant, thinking he could take on Schmidt alone.  They would use that to their advantage.

Peggy entered Mina’s room a little while after the meeting, she had something she wanted to give her before they left for the mission.  “I have something for you.”  She held out a bundle of clothes in her arms. “Mr. Stark made these for you.  He thought that you were a hero just like Steve and should dress the part.”

Mina took the clothes, the fabric was smooth under her fingers, and black with turquoise stripes running down the side, “Tell him thank you for me.”

Peggy nodded, “He also said you should call yourself Siren.”

Mina looked up from the suit.  “Siren,” she tested the name out and nodded.  “I like it.”

Peggy offered her a small smile.  “I’m glad. I’ll let you get dress, come find me when you’re done and we’ll head out with the others.”

Mina slipped on the uniform, it was tighter fitting than anything she had ever worn before. Before she left she wrote a quick letter to her parents and left it on the bed. She did this every time she left for a mission just in case she never made it back.

She looked around the room briefly remembering her and Bucky’s last night together.  

_“Do you think the war will be over soon?”  She asked as his fingers trailed up and down her side. She liked how his fingers felt against her bare skin, the sensations it caused._

_Bucky was silent for a moment, deep in thought. “Soon, I have a feeling it will all be over soon.”  He kissed the top of her head. “What will we do first?”_

_“Well, I think we should go get ice cream at that little place on the corner. Maybe we could have a double date with your sister and Henry.”  She had been craving that ice cream for some time now, and she thought it would be nice to share it with Becca and Henry once they all returned home after the war._

_He pulled her closer and grinned at her, “I was kinda hopin’ we could be alone, doll.”_

_She pulled his face down so that his mouth was just a few inches away from hers, “You’re insatiable James Buchanan Barnes.  One date with your sister and her husband will not kill you.”_

_“It might, I haven’t had you alone for so long.  We always have to worry about whether someone is going to walk in on us or not.  Just once I don’t want to be disturbed while I’m with you,” he closed the distance and rolled so that she was pinned beneath him._

Mina shook off the memory and turned toward the door. She made it to the vehicle they would be riding in to the airport.

 

Mina and Steve moved through the halls together. Steve had been “captured” by Schmidt’s men before she and the Howling Commandos burst through the glass and shot the HYDRA agents.  Mina had decided that she wanted to join the Howling Commandos, not with Peggy and the other soldiers who were coming in through the front.  She had wanted to be apart of the team one time, she wanted to fill the hole that Bucky had left behind.  It had felt only right to her.

In the confusion, Schmidt managed to get away. Mina alerted Steve to the slip as she fought off one guard, her fist connecting with his cheek as she took him down and knocked him out. The two of them took off together ready to end this once and for all.  Peggy and Colonel Phillips followed the two of them, shooting down any HYDRA guards that came at them.   By the time they made it to Schmidt he was already in a jet and was preparing for takeoff, the jet was slowly picking up speed and if they had any hope of getting to him they needed something that could match its speed.  “If he gets that in the air then the Eastern seaboard will be history,” Mina told him.

Colonel Phillips blew a horn, Mina and Steve whirled around and discovered Peggy and Colonel Phillips in Schmidt’s car.  “Get in!”

Mina and Steve didn’t hesitate as they got in, Colonel Phillips speeding down the runway trying to get to Schmidt.  They were getting closer and Steve could see an opening in the wheels where the two of them could climb through. “Mina, can you get to it?” Steve asked.

“I can try,” she said with a nod.

They were below the jet now.  Without thinking twice Mina jumped up using her powers to push her higher into the air and through the opening where the wheels were.  She moved out of Steve’s way and onto a platform where she was hidden from view in case there were any guards around. Steve pulled himself through the hole a moment later as the wheels were pulled up, they were in the air now and that meant that they had a limited amount of time to stop Schmidt before it was too late.

They moved through the jet fighting off a few HYDRA guards together.  The bombs were beside them, and Mina could see that they were going to be powered by people rather than being dropped from the jet.  It made her sick to know that someone was going to give their life to further Schmidt’s cause.

Steve was forced onto one of the bombs as he fought off one of the guards.  There was nothing that Mina could do to help him, it was up to him to make it back now, she had to stop Schmidt.

She reached him in the cockpit, he was the only when left on the jet, all the others were either dead or incapacitated at the moment.  He looked at her with narrowed eyes, his red face bright in the natural light. “The two of you just won’t give up, will you?”

“Not when there are thousands of lives at stake,” she said.

He grinned at her, her determination was admirable, but at this moment Schmidt felt as though he had won.  “You’re too late, there is no stopping this.”

Mina’s hands ignited once again, Schmidt’s eyes widening at the sight of them, “Want to bet on that?”

His face lit up as he realized who she was.  “So you are the ghost my men are so afraid of. It is nice to put a face to the reputation.”

“Shut up,” she spat. “You’ve lost, Schmidt. Stop this jet or—“

“Or what Miss….  I never did get your name little ghost,” he smiled at her.

“And you’ll go to your death never knowing it either.”  Her cover would remain intact, she could go back to a normal life without anyone ever knowing who she truly was.

Steve suddenly appeared beside her, the bombers taken care of.  Relief swelled through her, she had a feeling Steve would be too stubborn to die like that, but it was still a relief to see him back in the jet with her.  “Stop the jet,” he ordered.

“As I told your little ghost I can’t do that, there is no stopping this, you have lost, Captain,” Schmidt said with a shrug. “I’m a man on a mission, and I plan to make this world a better place for superior men such as ourselves.  A place for gods.”

He was delusional, Mina and Steve both knew that.  He actually thought that he was a god and could control the world.  With the weapons he had created he might be able to do it, but if they could stop him now the world would be safe from his convoluted ideas.  

Taking the moment where he was distracted Mina surged forward to attack him but he pulled out a gun and fired at her. The shot grazed her side and she landed on the floor crying out in pain.

“Mina!”  But before he could reach her Schmidt fired at him and Steve managed to dodge the attack. Schmidt continued to fire at him damaging the container holding the tesseract.  He cried out and anger, cursing at Steve for what he had made Schmidt do. Mina looked up from her spot on the floor, things shifting in and out of focus. She was slowly losing consciousness, the throbbing in her side the one thing keeping her awake.

She watched as he picked up the tesseract and held it in his hands.  For a moment nothing happened, but then the cube began to burn away at him.  His face shifted into a look of horror as he realized what it was doing to him.  Mina couldn’t be sure, but she thought that she saw a rift open in the jet where she could see space clearly, galaxies spread out before her in varying shades and stars more brilliant than she had ever seen before.

But that couldn’t be right, she had to be hallucinating.  There was no way that there could be a rift within the jet showing her what lied beyond what her human eyes could see.  But then just as suddenly as the rift open it was gone and so was Schmidt.

Both Mina and Steve were in a state of shock for a moment before Steve realized that Mina was still lying on the ground injured.  He reached her side in an instant, “Mina, how are you feeling? What can I do?”

“Don’t worry about me right now,” she groaned. “Just stop the jet before a lot of people are hurt.”

He hesitated and then nodded, heading for the pilot’s seat. Mina listened as he called back for the others. She could hear Peggy’s voice and then Steve saying that he had to put the jet in the water.  Mina rolled onto her back, she wasn’t going to make it, but she wasn’t scared. She was relieved if she was being honest.  The sweet relief of death meant that there would be no more fighting, she would be safe again.

She would see Bucky. She hoped he was there to greet her when all was said and done. If he wasn’t she was going to look all over Heaven for him and kick his ass.

The moment the jet crashed Mina wasn’t afraid. She felt the rush of cold air and then the world went dark around her, a smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm gonna update a little early because that last chapter was probably not fun. And I'm sorry but this chapter wasn't much better, but this marks the end of the forties for Mina, Steve, and Bucky. The next time we see Steve and Mina it will pick up from where Avengers started and continue on from there.


	17. Chapter 17

**December 16th, 1991**

He was dreaming.  He hardly ever dreamed when he was in cryo, but for once he was dreaming something sweet and not about the blood staining his hands, hearing the screams of those he had killed.  In this dream, there was a girl.  Her long, dark hair was soft, it was odd that he knew it was soft, but something deep inside his mind told him that he knew her, he knew how it felt to run his fingers through her hair to have those pouty lips pressed against his.  That sent a shiver down his spine, he longed to be kissed by those lips, to be touched softly by her.

“Bucky,” she had giggled, her eyes shining with some emotion that he couldn’t place.  Was he Bucky?

He couldn’t be Bucky.  He was nobody.

Then the dream ended just as abruptly as it had started.  Too abruptly for his tastes, and he clung to the dream a little while longer, not wanting to give the beautiful woman up yet. 

The Winter Soldier was woken from his cryotube.  Still half out of it as he was dragged to the chair where he would be reprogrammed so that he was complicit in whatever vile deed his handlers need him to do for them.   He couldn’t remember what life was like before this or even if he had had a life before they made him into a killer.

When he was awake there were times he clung to the image of the dark haired woman wishing that one day he would see her.  He held onto the image of her to ground him in a away.  He liked that she didn't look at him like he was a monster or like he was a tool to be used to further a cause.  He held onto the way she would say his name, sometimes sweetly, sometimes in a breathy moan. He couldn’t explain it, but he longed for this woman he didn’t know.  Why would he long for someone that he had never met before?

She hadn’t been one of his missions, he wasn’t sure how he knew her, but he hoped one day he would get to meet her in his waking hours.  That he could hear her gently say his name as she had in the dream. He wanted to feel her under his fingertips, feel her lips pressed firmly against his.

A man moved around him calling out words that would make him do whatever he was ordered to do.  When the man was done he simply said, “ _ Dobroye utro, soldat _ .”

“Ready to comply,” he responded in Russian.

His mission was to track down a man by the name of Howard Stark, kill him, and retrieve the serum he was carrying on him.  There were to be no witnesses left behind. Bucky understood his mission and the next thing he knew he was on a plane headed for America where he would carry out his mission.   HYDRA agents were waiting for him, giving him the position where he would wait for Howard to come.  It was an abandoned dirt road and the Winter Soldier would have a perfect view from his hiding spot on the hill above the road.

He heard the car coming before he even saw it and when it went past he moved.  He caused the car to crash into a tree, the car catching on fire. He stopped his motorcycle and stood up and headed for the trunk first.  He confirmed that the serum was there before rounding the car to the driver’s side.

The man was already crawling out of the car, blood running down his face from his nose, the woman that was in the passenger’s side crying out the man’s name.  The Winter Soldier felt nothing as he jerked the man’s head back. For a moment the man was disoriented, not quite sure what was happening, and then he laid eyes on the man who was holding him.  “Sergeant Barnes?” He sounded confused, and so was the Winter Soldier.

Who was Sergeant Barnes?

He didn’t contemplate the answer long before killing the man, his blood coating his metal fingers.  He could hear the soft sobs of the woman now when she saw what had been done to her husband. The Winter Soldier put Stark back in his seat making it look like he had died there instead of outside the vehicle.

He rounded the car again, and this time he reached through the slightly askew door to choke the life out of the woman.  He wasn’t sure why he gave her an easier death, maybe he felt a sense of remorse, maybe deep down there was something there holding him back, screaming at him to stop what he was doing.  To  _ fight _ back.

Before he left the area he located the camera that had captured all of it on film and shot it out.  He returned to the trunk of the car and grabbed the case that was still resting there before meeting the agents at the rendezvous point to be taken back to his master where he would deliver the package to him.

His master was pleased with his work congratulating him and telling him the next phase of HYDRA’s plan could begin.

 

**July 13th, 2011**

It had been some time since Mina and Steve had plunged into the ice, sleeping as the world moved on around them.

People never gave up the search for them and one day it paid off. 

The jet that Steve had crashed into the ice was found and two bodies were found frozen, but still alive. They were thawed immediately and brought to New York where they would wait for the pair to wake. 

  
  


**July 25th, 2011**

Mina was the first to waken after being discovered in the ice, they had found her first.  Her body was laying close to Steve’s, at first, they thought that she was dead, but by some miracle, she was still alive.  Her powers had kept her alive as she had laid there in the ice for seventy years.

“Where’s Steve?”  She demanded, her powers rising as she felt threatened by the men and women in strange uniforms saying they were apart of a group known as S.H.I.E.L.D..  The agents around her backed away from her as her eyes glowed an eerie shade of turquoise. They weren’t dressed like anyone she had known in her own time, she wasn’t sure if they were enemies or not.   


Nicky Fury had been waiting for this moment since the two had been discovered, for one of the two people to wake.  He had hoped it would be Captain America. He didn’t know the woman they had discovered along beside him, there were no files on her and anyone that would know was either dead or had memory issues.  All he had was her name and birth date from the dog tags hanging from her neck.

Her name was Mina Gaspari, she had been born in 1919 to immigrant parents from Italy, they had made a life for themselves here by opening a pizza restaurant in Brooklyn.  She had joined the army around the same time that Steve had and earned Agent status just like Peggy Carter. There were pictures of her with Steve Rogers, A.K.A. Captain America, and they seemed to be friends.  But other than that he had no clue who she was.

Nick held up his hands in an effort to show that she wasn't in any danger from them, “You're at a base in New York City, it belongs to a group known as S.H.I.E.L.D..  We were formed after World War II as a way to protect the world from threats like HYDRA.  Peggy Carter--”

“Peggy,” she perked up as she heard a familiar name.  “Take me to Peggy,” she demanded.

Nicky kept his composure, “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Miss Gaspari.  Peggy Carter is in a nursing home right now.”

Mina shook her head, that couldn’t be right.  Peggy and she were just a few years apart in age.  Mina was older by two years, “Peggy isn’t old enough to be in a nursing home, we’re almost the same age!”

“I don’t know how to break it to you, but you’ve been in the ice for almost seventy years now.  The world you knew is gone,” he seemed so calm telling her that everyone she had ever known was dead or couldn’t remember who she was.   


To Mina everything that had happened to her had seemed like it had happened hours before, not seventy years ago.  Everything she had gone through slowly leaking back in. Bucky falling from the train, her and Steve’s fight with the Red Skull.  Nick had given her room to mourn for those she had lost, he still stood silently in the corner of the room, but he didn’t interfere as she went through a grieving process.  Her parents were long gone now, she never got to tell them goodbye or let them know that she was all right.   


Her friends were gone too.  Everyone she had ever known was just… gone.   


Then she looked at Nick, “Steve?”   


“We found him a few hours ago, we’re putting him in a room reminiscent of when he came from.  We were going to do the same for you, but you woke before we were ready,” Nick informed her.   


“Let me tell him, it’ll be easier,” she said.  “Please, he’s… he’s been through a lot. The news that everyone is gone… well it’ll be hard on him.”   


Nick nodded, “I’ll allow it.  Come with me, we need to get you changed.”     


She got off the bed she was laying in looking around in wonder at all the things that had changed.  Seventy years had most certainly passed if they had technology like this. Things that she had only ever dreamed of when she had visited the Stark Expo with Bucky all those years ago.   


As Mina changed she felt something cool touch her skin, she pulled her shirt off to reveal her old dog tags and Bucky’s resting there along with the engagement ring he had gotten for her, she was thankful that they hadn’t taken them.  It made her feel safer knowing that a little part of him was still there with her.   


When she had changed into something she had worn once upon a time Nick led her into a room where there were TVs set up, everything was in color.  “So much nicer than what we had,” Mina said absentmindedly.   


Nick looked down at her, “We’ll teach you everything that you need to know.”   


“What is this place?  You called it S.H.I.E.L.D. and said Peggy started it?”  She asked as she watched as they brought in Steve. He looked just like he had the day they had crashed the plane, although his wounds had healed and  they had changed him out of his Captain America uniform.   


“Yes it’s known as S.H.I.E.L.D., and you should know its founding members besides Agent Carter.  Howard Stark and Chester Phillips were also there to help her create this agency,” Nick informed her.   


“What happened to them?”  She asked Nick.   


“Chester died of old age, and Howard was murdered in the nineties,” Nick said.  Mina’s heartbroken to hear that Howard had been murdered.   


“Sir, he’s waking up,” one of the techs monitoring the screens said.   


Nick turned to Mina, “You’re up, Miss Gaspari.”   


Mina was led to the room where Steve was.  She gently pushed the door open and poked her head inside.  “Steve?”   


“Mina?”  He sat up fully, relief evident on his face.  “Thank God, I thought something was wrong.”   


Mina closed the door and moved closer to Steve, “I need you to remain calm, Steve.”  He didn’t like the way she sounded or how she looked, something was off.   


He backed away from her not quite sure what to do.  “What’s going on? Where are we?”   


“We’re in New York,” her hand stretching out to take his, seeking his comforting presence.  Her eyes filled with tears as it really began to sink in that they weren’t at home in their own time.  “But Steve, it’s not nineteen forty-five, it’s two thousand eleven.”   


Steve stood frozen for a moment, “Peggy?”   


“She’s still alive, but Steve… everyone else is gone.”  The tears that had welled up in her eyes seconds ago spilled down her cheeks now, she couldn’t hold them back any longer.  Steve rushed over and hugged her, both of them feeling very vulnerable at that moment. “I thought that maybe when I woke up again I’d see Bucky,” she admitted.  “Waiting for me,” she sniffled. “But instead I was greeted by things and people I didn’t know.”   


He held onto her, his hands stroking her hair, his eyes closed, “Me too, Mina… me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend Rose made an aesthetic board for this story on Pinterest. You can check it out here: https://www.pinterest.com/aestheticsgalore97/out-of-time-marvel-fanfic/


	18. Chapter 18

S.H.I.E.L.D. set Mina and Steve up with an apartment in the city while they readjusted to life again.  Mina had entered the apartment a little wearily, she wasn't sure what to expect from the space she would be inhabiting with Steve. They had an agent with them at the moment, someone to watch over them for a few hours as they learned the ropes.  Fury had promised that if they needed anything that they could call and they would get someone on the other end to help them.

The phones were small.  She had marveled at its small size and how it didn’t need a cord to work.  She was informed that it would run out of battery and would need to be charged when it did so.

“That’s your TV, we have it filled with everything important that has happened over the past seventy-some years,” the agent told her.  Mina couldn’t remember the woman’s name or even if she had offered it.   “Over there is the fridge which is filled with food.  There are recipes as well and the utensils are in the drawers.  We didn’t know if you all had any allergies to contend with so just throw out whatever will affect you.  A doctor will be by in a few days to give you all the shots you’ll need to protect yourselves from illnesses we have now.”

Mina pointed to a rectangular object resting on the kitchen counter, “What is that?”  

The agent followed her gaze, “That is a laptop, it’s a computer.”  She walked over and powered it up, “It’s connected to the Wifi so you can search the internet for anything you’d like to know.  There are also books in one of the rooms that you all can read.”

Mina’s head felt like it was swimming.  Steve was standing in the living room stoically not saying anything.  He seemed numb to everything at this point.   Mina turned back to the agent and said, “Thank you, but I think Steve and I need some time to ourselves.”  She shifted on her feet, “We’ll call if we need anything.”

The agent nodded, “I’ll be around if you need me.”  The door shut behind her and Mina and Steve were left in silence.

“Are you hungry?”  She asked, her voice sounding like a gunshot in the silent apartment.

Steve finally looked at her, the spark of life that was once in his blue eyes not there anymore.  “No, I’m all right.”

“Are we gonna talk at all or are we going to continue to act like strangers?”  She snapped at him. It had been a few days since they had woken from their time in the ice and Mina was growing frustrated at how closed off Steve was from her.  She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap like that. It’s just the stress of all this.”

“I know,” Steve said quietly.  “Why don’t we go do something? We could get ice cream, or maybe pizza?  We can do whatever you want.”  She smiled at him and walked over and he folded her into his arms, “I love you, Mina.”

“I love you too, Steve,” she whispered back.  “I’m glad that I still have you.”  She pulled away, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes on her face, "Why don't we get pizza?  We haven't had it in awhile," she joked.

It made Steve happy to see she hadn't quite lost her sense of humor.  He chuckled and said, “Come on, let’s go get that pizza.”  He slipped his hand into hers and the two of them headed out into the city to try and find a pizza place to eat at together.

 

Steve spent most of his days in the gym working through things while Mina stayed at the apartment and absorbed everything she had missed.  She started with the books, reading through updated history books and reading novels that were published after she went into the ice.   She continued to eye the TV and the laptop from her spot on the couch.  She wasn’t sure if she was ready to use them yet. She had only used her phone to call Steve when he was at the gym to make sure he was okay and to order food for herself.

She was home alone one day when there was a knock on the front door.  She stood up and checked to see who it was, thinking that the agent Fury had assigned to them was checking in on her, but instead, she was greeted by a beautiful redhead.  She pulled the door open cautiously, “Hello?”

The smile she gave Mina was disarming, “Hello, my name’s Natasha, and Nick Fury sent me.”

“Did our agent change?”  Mina's brows furrowed, her guard instantly going up.  “Nick didn’t inform me of anyone coming over.”

“You can call him if you wish,” the woman shrugged.  “But he thought it might be nice for you to get out of the house for a change.  Agent Casagrande says that you haven’t left your apartment at all this week.”

“Tell me the truth,” Mina hadn’t used her siren abilities in so long she had forgotten how it felt to use them.  “Who sent you and why are you really here?”

“I told you,” the woman said calmly.  “Nick Fury sent me and I thought you might like to go shopping with me.” 

Mina shifted on her feet, “I don’t think that that would be a good idea.”

The woman, Natasha, cocked her head to the side and smiled her disarming smile at Mina, “It will be good for you,” she said.

Mina caved, “Fine, let me just grab my bag.”  She disappeared further into the apartment and picked up her purse off the coffee table.  When she returned to the front door she discovered Natasha hadn’t moved from her spot. “I’m sorry, I’m being rude, would you like to come in?  Do you want anything to drink?”

“I’m fine, but thank you for the offer,” Natasha stepped out of the way so Mina could enter the hallway beyond her and Steve’s apartment.  “So how does it feel to be back among the living?”

Mina wrapped her arms around herself, Natasha pressed the elevator button for the ground floor.  “Odd? I don’t belong here. Steve and I both know this, but we’re surviving I guess.”

“Going to the gym every day and staying holed up in your apartment isn’t surviving,” Natasha said as she stepped out of the elevator.  “It’s being antisocial.”

Mina bristled at her words, sure she wasn’t out partying or going to dance halls or whatever it was that people did these days, but that didn’t mean she was antisocial.  “I may not be going out often, but that doesn’t make me antisocial. You don’t know what it’s like for me or for Steve. We are in a time that isn’t our own. We should be dead and yet here we are.  This is how we cope.”

Natasha was quiet for a moment, “You’re right, I’m sorry.  This must be really hard for you.”

“It is,” Mina replied quietly.  “You grew up in this time, you don’t have to spend days learning things you missed.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Natasha looked over at her.  “I was once an assassin for the KGB. I was trained from a young age to be a killer until Fury saved me from that life.  But while I was there and training I had a very limited view of the world. They wanted to keep us loyal and learning the ways of the outside world was forbidden.”  She looked over at Mina who was watching her carefully. “I was freed and learned how the world really worked and I wanted to do better.”

“That’s- that is very honorable,” Mina said with a nod of her head.  “So what do you do for fun?”

Natasha shrugged, “I like to read.  For those few hours where I’m enjoying my book I can live in someone else’s shoes and not be me.  It’s nice.” She opened the door to one of the department stores and ushered Mina inside. “What’s your favorite thing about this time period so far?”

Mina thought over her answer as she looked around the spacious area filled with clothing.  The department stores were much bigger than they had been when she had been growing up. There were several floors dedicated to clothes and various items.  “The technology,” she said with a smile. She pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Everything can be stored in this little device. Ours were nothing like this.”

“Oh I am well aware of how far technology has come since you and Steve were among the living,” Natasha chuckled as she picked up a dress and held it up against her body.  It was black and would hug her body in all the right places. It was also much more revealing that something Mina would have worn. “What do you think of this?”

Mina blinked rapidly, she still wasn't used to fashion in this time, “It’s… pretty?”

Natasha snorted and slung it over her shoulder, “Great, now help me find a pair of shoes to go with it.”  She turned and wove her way around the store. “I’m leaving for a mission in a few days and I have to look the part.

“Oh, where are you going?”

“Classified,” she said with a shrug.  “Wish I could tell you, but you don’t have clearance yet to know these kind of things.”

“What do you mean yet?”  Mina hadn’t signed any papers saying she was going to team up with S.H.I.E.L.D. and be an agent again.  “I never said I was joining S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“But you will because Steve will,” Natasha stopped in the middle of the walkway between two sections of clothing.  Her eyes were roving over Mina’s face. “Don’t lie to me, Mina. You’d do anything for Rogers. You probably made a promise once to protect him didn’t you?”

Mina wasn’t sure how Natasha knew that, but she didn’t deny it.  “I made a promise to a friend.”

“The same friend that gave you the engagement ring that hangs around your neck with those dog tags?”

Mina’s hand instinctively went to the where the dog tags and ring were nestled under her shirt, “How did you know about those?”

“I was there the day they brought you in from the cold.  I was there in case things went wrong. I couldn’t help but notice your odd sense of jewelry and assumed it must be very important if you were wearing it with your uniform.  Which I say, I approve of. Very stylish.”

She hadn’t seen her uniform since the last time she put it on.  When she had woken up she had been wearing something different. “Where is that by the way?”

“It’s at S.H.I.E.L.D. waiting for you to come and claim it,” Natasha informed her.

Natasha didn’t say anything else on the subject.  The two of them continued to shop, Mina picking out some new clothes, Natasa dragging her from shop to shop.  The styles of clothes had changed, clothing seemed to grow shorter and more revealing.

Mina wasn’t quite sure how she felt about that yet, but it was nice to have options now.  She didn’t have much choice back in her time. Natasha dropped her off at her apartment promising to come back after her assignment to do more with Mina.

When Steve arrived back at the apartment she smiled at him, feeling happy for the first time in a while.  He gave her an odd look, “Why are you so happy?”

“I made a friend today,” she said, her smile still in place.

Steve took a seat next to her on the couch, “The pizza delivery boy doesn’t count as a friend.”

Mina made a face and slapped him with a pillow causing Steve to laugh in turn.  “She works for S.H.I.E.L.D.! Her name is Natasha and Fury sent her to check on me.  We went shopping and we’re going to do it again once she gets back.” Steve was still smiling, but his eyes told another story.  “What?”

He shook his head, “It’s nothing.  I’m just happy that you’re doing better.”

Mina reached out and took Steve’s hand in hers, “Talk to me, Steve. I know this change hasn’t been easy on either of us.  But you still have me.” She cocked her head and gave him a small smile. “You’ll always have me.”

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead, “I know that, and I’m grateful that it’s you I went into the ice with.”  He pulled her in for a hug, “Why don’t we spend tomorrow together? Just you and me. Maybe we can go to the old neighborhood and see what’s changed?”

“I’d like that,” she responded.

He kissed her temple and stood up, “I’m gonna take a shower and head to bed.  Goodnight, Mina.”

“Night, Steve,” she called after him as she watched him disappear around the corner. 


	19. Chapter 19

Mina woke to the smell of breakfast.  She never smelled breakfast in the mornings when she woke up.  Steve was normally gone and he only ever really took protein bars with him.  Then she remembered the night before and how Steve had said they could spend the day together.   She shot out of bed and raced down the hall to discover Steve standing by the stove making eggs, there were waffles in the toaster and the table had been set.  She leaned against the wall and smiled, “Wow Steve, who knew you were so domestic.”

He turned at the sound of her voice, a sheepish smile on his face, “I figured I should apologize for abandoning you for weeks to go to that gym.”

“Well, this is a good start, Captain.”  She grinned at the way his cheeks turned redder.  She came over and hip-checked him out of the way. “Come on let me do this and you finish the other things.”

He nodded and got the juice out from the fridge followed by the syrup in the pantry.  He had to search for the silverware until Mina took pity on him and told him where he could find the knives and forks.  She scooped the eggs onto a large plate and headed for the table where Steve was waiting with the rest of the spread: toast, waffles, sausage, an assortment of jams and syrups.   “I wasn’t sure what you liked,” he admitted softly.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek, “Thank you for doing this Steve, you didn’t need to.”

“But I did,” he said with a sigh.  “I’ve basically abandoned you here, and I shouldn’t have.  You needed me and I wasn’t there. I’ve been so distant, remembering the past.  I’ve been lost in it all that I forgot you.”

“You did,” she admitted.  “And it hasn’t been fun being here alone all the time, but Steve, we’re healing differently and I know that you need your space to sort through everything.”  She put her hand on top of his. “I just want you to know that I’m here for you whenever you’re ready to talk to me about things.”

He leaned over and kissed her cheek, his lips resting there for several moments.  When he pulled away she noticed the tears in his eyes and she pulled him into her arms and let him cry as his emotions overpowered him.  Once he had calmed down they turned to the food and began to eat. Steve asked her what she liked to do most in her free time.

She told him about the books she had been reading and the movies and TV shows that she had been watching.  “There’s this show called  _ FRIENDS,  _ it’s funny but sometimes the reference don’t make any sense to me.  And then there’s  _ Star Wars _ , I’m telling you there’s a man in there that looks just like Fury.”  Steve listened with rapt attention as she continued to tell him things that she had learned.  Sometimes he forgot what it was like to be around Mina and her big personality, something he hadn’t seen since Bucky’s death.

Maybe this new life was good for her, better than it was for him.

“So are we going to Brooklyn?”  He asked once their conversation had died down some.

She nodded her head, “I want to see how it’s changed.  Plus, I want to go pay my respects to everyone.” Steve knew she meant the cemetery.  Fury had left a file on where their loved ones were buried or anyone that they might want to visit with again.

They took a bus to Brooklyn and when they stepped off they were shocked by how different things were.  The buildings looked newer, some of the places they had known had been knocked down and replaced with more modern looking places.

The shops and clubs they had once known had been replaced.  Some places still remained. “We used to get ice cream there,” Mina pointed to a little cafe on the corner, a faint smile gracing her lips.  “Bucky used to complain because I always wanted to get it when it was cold outside.”

“Do you want to talk about him?”  Bucky had been one topic the both of them had actively been avoiding.

He noticed as her hand went to the lump under her shirt, “Let’s go in and get some ice cream and talk about him.”  She looked up at Steve, “It might do me some good.”

The two of them stepped inside the shop, the worker smiling broadly at them, not knowing who they truly were.  She asked them what they wanted and Mina ordered the tutti fruity flavor while Steve stuck with vanilla. Mina made a comment about him being boring and he pinched her on the arm causing her to giggle.

They took a seat by one of the windows and watched the traffic go by.  “Do you want to go first?” He asked her as he watched her spin her spoon around in the cold treat.

She looked up, her eyes darker than normal.  “I don’t know if you know, but Bucky and I were intimate.”  Steve’s face remained neutral, he had suspected that she and Bucky had been more intimate with one another, but he had never wanted to assume.  Mina’s cheeks turned pink, “While we were together in Europe fighting HYDRA he would always sneak into my room and I would fall asleep in his arms.  Once he had died those few nights that I had without him were hard to fall asleep, even now I wake up thinking he’s gonna be there, but his side of the bed is always cold.”  She swiped at a tear that had fallen down her cheek. “We used to talk about what our future would look like. We would live with his parents for awhile while we saved up to be able to afford our own place.”  She smiled, her gaze growing distant. It was like in the movies when someone was remembering something and the scenery around them changed.

_ “We’ll have a room just for Steve to stay in,” Bucky said as they sat in the same spot Steve and Mina were currently in.  “That way when he’s having one of his bad days he can stay with us so we can take care of him.” _

_ Mina smiled, “Will we stay in Brooklyn or shall we move away from the city?”  She loved it when he talked about their future together, it made her forget that he would be heading for Europe soon.  This was one of the few times that he actually got to come home from his training to be with his family and with her. _

_ He rubbed his chin, deep in thought for a moment, “We’ll move away from the city.  We’re gonna need a big backyard for our kids and a good school.” _

_ “Kids?”  She asked with a laugh.  “James Buchanan Barnes, have you thought about what our children will be like?” _

_ He grinned at her and nodded, “We’ll have two, a little boy and a little boy.  Stephanie Elizabeth Barnes and Grant Robert Barnes.” _

_ “What if I don’t like those names?”  Her heart thrummed at the idea that he had thought about what their future would be like, what they would name their kids. _

_ He took her hands in his, “We can name our children whatever you want.  They were just what I imagined when I pictured what they looked like.” _

_ “Stephanie would have you wrapped around her little finger,” Mina told him. _

_ “Just like her momma,” he said with a cheeky grin. _

_ Mina rolled her eyes, but she was giddy inside.  “And what about Grant, what will he be like? Will he be a daddy’s boy?” _

_ “Oh no, he’ll dote on you the most.  He’ll make sure you’re always taken care of.” _

_ “You’re a sap you know that Bucky?” _

_ He tilted his head and smiled at her, “I know.” _

Mina blinked, the memory fading back into reality.  Steve was watching her and silently passed a napkin over to her.  She took it and mumbled a quiet ‘thank you’ to him. He merely nodded and waited until she calmed down before speaking again.  “If you could go back, knowing his fate, would you still start seeing him even though it causes you this much pain?”

She didn’t hesitate, “Yes.”  She took a deep breath, “Bucky was one of those once in a lifetime kinda things, you know?  I don’t regret seeing him even if it did end with heartbreak. Bucky was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”

“I know the feeling, Bucky was the one person who never looked at me differently because of how sick I was or how scrawny I was.  He treated me like a human being and I thought I’d never meet another person like him until that day you came out of the restaurant to check on me.”

She smiled at the memory of that day.  Seeing Bucky run by the shop chasing the men that had beaten up on Steve.  “I would never treat you differently. I judge people by how they treat others.  You were kind Steve, you still are, and I’m glad we met one another.”

“I’m glad I met you too, Mina.”  The two of them continued to share stories about their past as they finished their ice cream.  Their moods shifting into something that they might have been once upon a time.

They went to the cemetery after they walked around for a bit.  They didn’t stray too far from the ice cream shop. Mina couldn’t bear the thought of going to where her parents' restaurant had been.  She just didn’t want to see it yet.

Steve and Mina split up so that they could spend some alone time with their respective parents.  Mina stared down at their headstones. Her father had died in 1982 while her mother lived until 1990.  She covered her mouth with her hand and sob over their graves.   “I’m so sorry I never came home,” she said as she knelt on the ground in front of their gravestones.  “I’m sorry that I left you all to go to war.” She could only imagine how they must have felt when they learned that she and Steve had gone missing.  “I’m fine now, and I just wish I could tell you in person all the things I did.” She gently laid two white lilies on top of their headstones. “I’m gonna go say hello to the Barnes clan now.  I need to see Buck and tell him I miss him. I love both of you, and I miss you like crazy. I’ll visit again, I promise.”

She pushed herself to her feet and headed to the section of the cemetery where the Barnes clan was located.  Steve was already there, his eyes teary as he looked down at the people who had taken care of him when he needed it the most.  She slipped her hand into his. “It’s weird,” he said. “I always thought I’d go before them.”

It broke Mina’s heart to hear him say that, “They loved you, Steve.”

“I know,” he murmured.  “I’ll give you some time alone.  Meet me at the entrance and we’ll head back into the city.  Maybe we can stop at the grocery store and get some food to make dinner tonight.”

She nodded her head, “I’d like that.”  He gently pulled his hand from her grasp and walked away, casting one last glance over his shoulder to see Mina standing there, her body shaking with silent sobs.

She took the remaining lilies that she had and laid them on the headstones.  “Hello Mrs. Barnes, it’s been awhile hasn’t it?” She sighed and rested her hand on top of the cold stone, “I miss you, how kind you were to me.  You were like a second mother, and I do miss your cooking. I haven’t had anything like those soups you used to make.” She gave Winifred Barnes’s headstone a watery smile.  She looked to George’s headstone next, “And you, Mr. Barnes, I miss your jokes. And how you treated me like your second daughter.” She moved to Rebecca’s next, her husband beside her.  “Hey Becca, I hope you had a good life. God knows you deserved it,” she smiled. “I miss you, I wish we had gotten to plan my wedding, and I’m sorry I couldn’t keep Bucky safe.” She said the last bit toward the rest of them as well.  Guilt still wracked her as she thought about what she could have done to save him.

She moved toward the final gravestone, her feet feeling heavy, each step becoming harder and harder.  She froze when she noticed that there was one beside his, her name written on it. She covered her mouth with her hand and held back a sob.  She figured their families had agreed the two of them should be next to one another in death, even if they weren’t married, everyone knew they would have anyway if they had been given the chance.  “Hey Buck,” her voice was soft as she knelt down in front of him, her eyes avoiding her gravestone, it was too haunting to see it while she was still breathing. She knew there was nothing underneath her feet.  They had never found his body in the ravine, she didn’t even know if they tried to find him. “God Buck, this is hard.” She rested her head on his gravestone. “I never thought I’d be here doing this. I thought that when the jet crashed I’d be with you again, but I’m still among the living.”  Her tears fell to the ground, her eyes squeezed shut trying to fight off all the emotions hitting her at once. “You better not be partying without me, and when it’s finally time for me to join you, you better be waiting for me at those gates because if you’re not I’m going to track you down and kick your ass, James Buchanan Barnes.”  She pulled back and wiped her eyes, “I love you, Bucky. Please behave while I’m away.” She stood finding it hard to depart from his headstone. There were so many things she wanted to say, but she couldn’t find the words to say them. She promised herself that she would come back one day and get the things she couldn’t say now off her chest.  “Goodbye, Bucky.”

She shoved her hands into her pockets and went to meet Steve at the entrance to the cemetery. 


	20. Chapter 20

A few days after Steve and Mina visited Brooklyn and the cemetery Fury visited their apartment. He was holding a manila folder with the word **CLASSIFIED** written across the front, in large, bold letters.  Mina wasn’t surprised that his first visit since bringing them out of the ice would be one for business rather than pleasure.   She couldn’t say she was exactly thrilled to be contacted about going on a mission this soon after reawakening, but maybe the distraction would be good for her.  She wanted out of the house after all and she couldn’t exactly go get a normal job, she had no experience in this era and knew she would be completely lost with how they did things.

Steve didn’t look happy to see him either, he wasn’t fond of starting up his old ways of saving the world.  He just wanted to spend his time reliving that past and working through his feelings. “What do you want, Fury?”

Fury handed Mina the folder, he viewed her as the less hostile of the two.  He didn’t think that Steve would be necessarily receptive to the idea of getting back out into the world like this.  “We need the two of you. Things are getting heated, and it would be nice to have a supersoldier and an enhanced individual on our side when the fighting begins.”

Mina opened the file and saw dossiers on several different people. Then the words “ **Avengers Initiative** ” written along the top in bolded letters. “What is this?”  She asked Fury as she glanced up from a piece of paper with Natasha’s name on it.

“A group of highly skilled individuals that can help keep the world safe from threats that we normally wouldn't be able too.”  He pointed to a tab that had “ **HULK** ” written on it. “There are some interesting characters in there.  Look it over and call me when you’ve made a decision about what you want to do. I’ll send someone to get you.”  He turned and exited the apartment. 

The apartment was silent again as Mina’s eyes scanned over the papers.  She moved the one on a man named Doctor Bruce Banner who turned into a creature called Hulk and gasped when she saw what was photographed underneath.  “Steve, you need to see this.”

He moved over and looked at what Mina’s gaze was transfixed on.  He swore under his breath, “What are they doing with that?”

“I don’t know, but how the hell did they find it?  It fell into the ocean after Schmidt tried to hold it.  It should have been lost in all the ice.” She picked up the picture and held it, the thing that had caused them so much pain back in the forties was now coming back to haunt them once again.  She looked at Steve, “We have to help them. We can’t let this thing get into the wrong hands again.”

“They should have left the damn thing in the ocean where it fell,” he seethed, she could see the rage simmering in his blue eyes.  Of course, this was why they were needed, they were the ones that had the most experience with dealing with the Tesseract. “Now we have to clean up someone else’s mess over this stupid thing.”

Mina rested a hand on his bicep and gave it a gentle squeeze, “Steve, please calm down.  We’ll have more help this time. It looks like there are others like us. Look Howard’s son has a suit made of iron.  And this Doctor Banner can turn into this green monster, but it looks like he’s the most qualified to find the Tesseract with its signature.  We’re not in the forties anymore. Technology has advanced. We can hopefully do this quicker this time around. And maybe we can do it without crash landing a jet into the ice this time,” she joked trying to lighten the mood some.

Steve cracked a small smile, glad to see some of her humor poking through even though he was practically boiling with rage.  “I’m never gonna live that one down am I?”

“Probably not,” she admitted with a soft smile that was reserved for only him nowadays.  “Let’s pack some clothes and then we can call Fury and tell him our decision.”

He sighed, she was right, things were different now.  They could do this. “All right, let’s get this over with so we can come back here and relax for a while.”

Mina smiled and headed for her room, “Face it Rogers, we’re never going to be able to relax.  Not with Fury knowing who we are and what we can do. We’re going to be thrown back into the business of saving people.”

Steve groaned, “Say it ain’t so doll.”  Mina and Steve both stiffened. Only Bucky had ever called her that.  He hadn’t ever meant to call her that, back in the day he had stopped himself so many times for doing what he had just done.  He never wanted her to think that he harbored some kind of feelings for her. He didn’t, or at least he had told himself he didn’t.  “I’m sorry,” Steve said hastily. “I wasn’t… I didn’t think.”

Mina’s fingers tightened on her door frame, “It’s fine.  I just wasn’t ready for it.”

Steve’s arms wrapped around her from behind, “I’m still sorry.”  He kissed the top of her head and let her go, disappearing into his room and leaving Mina to deal with the emotions forming inside her.

 

They were on a jet heading to some type of larger vessel that would act as their base.  To be completely honest, Mina hadn’t been paying a bit of attention when Agent Coulson had begun to speak to them.  He had gone into fanboy mode when he had taken one look at Steve. Mina chortled at the uncomfortable look Steve had given her and how he had shifted his weight back and forth.  It reminded her of the days when they were touring with the girls and the people would fawn all over him.

It was good to see that some things hadn’t changed.

“We’ve made some adjustments to your suits,” Agent Coulson told them.  “I may have had a hand in yours, Mr. Rogers. Ms. Gaspari, Natasha handled yours.”

Mina perked up at the sound of Natasha’s name.  She wondered how the other woman was doing. She hadn’t heard from her since she left for her mission a week or so ago.  “You know Natasha?”

Agent Coulson nodded, “She should be on the Helicarrier when we arrive.”

Mina was happy to know she would know someone else on the Helicarrier.  She was worried that she would only have Steve to talk to while they were on their mission.  The jet landed and the three of them stepped out into the sunlight. They were on the water, Mina could hear the water below them.

Steve nudged Mina and pointed toward a man looking over the edge of the Helicarrier, “Isn’t that Doctor Banner?”

“I believe it is,” she told him.  “Should we introduce ourselves?”

He nodded and the two of them headed in his direction.  “Doctor Banner,” Steve said.

The other man jumped and turned to look at the two people who had approached him.  “Hello, you’re Steve Rogers right?” His gaze fell on him, “And you’re Mina Gaspari?”  She nodded her head to confirm that she was in fact who he thought she was. “The history books never talked about you.”

“She was a ghost,” Natasha said as she walked up.  A smile on her face.

Mina smiled brightly, “Hello, Natasha.”

“Please call me, Nat.”  She walked over and slung her arm over Mina’s shoulders, the two men watching their interaction.  “She worked missions with the Howling Commandos--”

“Wait what?!”  Steve’s exclamation made her cringe, her cover was blown.  She had never exactly told Steve or Bucky that she had been there with them.  Colonel Phillips and Peggy had wanted her to keep her solo missions between the three of them.  “You never told me that!”

“I had orders,” Mina said with a shrug. 

Natasha chuckled at the betrayed look on Steve’s face.  “Come inside fellows, it’s about to become a little hard to breath out here.”

Doctor Banner didn’t like the sound of that and followed the group inside.  Mina wasn’t surprised at how many people were milling around and on computers.  A vessel this size needed a lot of people to man it. Fury was standing in front of the people working the computers, his eyes trained on one monitor.

“Glad you all could make it,” he turned to them, Natasha taking a spot next to him.  “And just in time too, we’re about to take off.”

There was a rumbling noise and then the Helicarrier lifted into the air and Mina had to brace herself, her hand going for Steve’s.  The last time they had been in the air it hadn’t ended well for either of them.

He seemed to understand what she was going through and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.  The two of them kept quiet as the others talked, merely observing their surroundings. The others around them seemed comfortable in their surroundings while the two of them seemed so out of place and uncomfortable.

Natasha seemed to notice and held out her hand to Mina, “Come with me, I want you to see your new suit.”  She smirked at Steve who seemed to grow a bit awkward now that his lifeline was being taken away from him.  “I promise to bring her back in one piece.” With that, the two of them disappeared into another part of the Helicarrier.


	21. Chapter 21

It was a little while later when Mina and Natasha returned to the main part of the Helicarrier, both of them were wearing their suits.  Mina had been surprised that the design hadn’t changed much, it was still black with the turquoise outlines on it, and it still hugged her body like a glove.  There were a few improvements to it, it had protective padding so if she were shot at the bullets wouldn't penetrate and hit her, it also had a tracker in it in case she was captured among other things.

She had pulled it out of the box that Natasha had handed her and had lifted the lid and discovered it lying there folded neatly waiting for her to pull it out and try it on.  She had looked at it with wide eyes and then she had tried it on and she felt oddly normal. She was actually wearing something that she was familiar with.  

She had come out of the dressing room she had gone into and held out her arms and looked at Natasha a bit shyly, “Thoughts?”

Natasha smiled and twirled her finger indicating she wanted Mina to spin around for her.  “It looks good on you. The design is perfect. Who made the suit for you back in the forties?”

Mina ran her hands over the material, it was smooth under her fingertips, “Howard Stark.”

Natasha had to admit that she was shocked to hear that Howard Stark, Tony Stark’s dad, had made Mina’s suit, “You knew Howard?”

Mina nodded her head, “He hit on me.”

Natasha started laughing, “You’re kidding!”

Mina chuckled at the other woman’s reaction.  She could still remember the day she had first met Howard.  “No, the first time we met he tried flirting, but I was already taken,” Mina explained.

“Would you have gone out with him if you weren’t otherwise attached?”

Mina shook her head, “No, Howard was a notorious lady’s man back in the day.  I wanted a relationship that was going to last a lifetime, not just a night.”

“He settled down, you know,” Natasha informed her.  “They had a kid.”

“Tony,” Mina supplied, she had looked up Howard after waking up to see what he had done with his life.  She had been surprised to see that he had settled down, and she had seen his son was following in similar footsteps as his father.

Natasha nodded, “So apparently he didn’t stay a lady’s man for long.  Just think it could have been you that had tamed his bad boyish ways.”

Mina chortled, “I doubt it.  Howard was a good friend though.”  Natasha could hear a note of sadness in Mina’s voice and knew that she knew how Howard had died.  “When Steve and I woke up I was first as you probably know.” Natasha did. “Fury told me that Howard and Colonel Phillips were dead, I wasn’t surprised by Colonel Phillip’s passing.  But then he told me that Peggy Carter was still alive and so was Steve. I was relieved to have at least two people I knew in the world.”

“Steve means a lot to you doesn’t he?”  Natasha was still trying to figure out the nature of Mina’s and Steve’s relationship.

“He does,” Mina confirmed.  “We were never romantically involved, his best friend was my boyfriend, we were gonna get married.”

Natasha was quiet for a moment, wondering if she should ask her next question.  “How did he die?”

“He fell from a train while trying to capture one of HYDRA’s scientists,” Mina could hear her scream echoing in her ears as Steve told her Bucky was gone.  “A few days later I thought I was about to die and then what seemed like hours turned out to be seventy years later.” She looked up at Natasha and blinked back her tears, she had cried enough.  “And here I am.”

“Here you are,” Natasha parroted.  She took in a deep breath, “Come on, let’s go show Rogers your improved getup.”

 

Steve had been listening to Fury give orders to the agents on the Helicarrier, they were looking for some man named Loki.  Apparently, he came from another planet and he was like a god. Honestly, it didn’t even phase Steve. He had seen what the Tesseract could do, what it had done to Schmidt.  There had to be life out there in the universe.  He had been so deep in thought that he hadn’t noticed when Mina and Natasha had returned until he heard Fury say, “Well Agent Gaspari, the suit suits you.”

Steve’s eyes shot over to where Mina and Natasha were standing.  Each of them wearing their skin-tight suits. But Steve’s eyes didn’t even look in Natasha’s direction, his roved over Mina and his breath caught in his throat.  If Bucky had been here he would have punched Steve and told him to keep his eyes to himself.

But Bucky wasn’t here and God Steve couldn’t help himself.  She was beautiful.

Natasha noticed how he was looking at Mina, saw the way his pupils dilated and knew he was secretly harboring feelings for his best friend.  She kept her mouth shut and looked back to where Fury and Mina were talking.

“I hope you don’t mind, we still have your old suit, but it was a little damaged,” Fury was saying.

“Yeah, I figured,” she said with a shrug.  “I was shot before the jet crashed into the ice.”

“You’re lucky you’re still alive,” Natasha commented.  “But you were healed when they pulled you from the ice, your body must heal quicker than most.”

“I’m not surprised,” Mina said.  “I was hardly ever sick as a child and my cuts and bruises always seemed to heal quicker than my friends.”  Her eyes landed on Steve and she gave him a bright smile, “So what do you think Steve? New and improved or my old suit that Howard made?”

Steve blinked, his brain trying to catch up with the situation around him.  “I like it,” he said at last. “It looks nice on you.”

“I can’t wait to see yours, Star Spangled Man with a Plan,” she teased.

He chuckled, “I hate you.”

“No you don’t,” she said.  She pulled him up out of his seat, “Go change.  I want to see the changes they made.”

He reluctantly stood and headed to the back where Fury informed him his suit was waiting for him.  Fury then turned to Mina and informed her that they had located Loki in Stuttgart, Germany. Mina took in a deep breath and nodded her head.

She took a seat in the chair that Steve had vacated moments before, Natasha sitting down in the chair next to her. “What happened the last time you were in Germany?”  Mina’s eyes looked over at Natasha who gave her a small smile. “Sorry, it was just the look on your face told me that something had happened.”

“We stormed a HYDRA base there once,” Mina said.  “Well the Howling Commandos did, I was invisible the entire time.  Dum Dum, Morita, Gabe, Jaques, and Bucky didn’t even know I was there.”

“Dum Dum?”  Natasha arched an eyebrow, she thought the name was very odd.

“His nickname,” Mina said with a chuckle.  “He never really explained how he got it, but it’s what we all called him.  Sometimes Buck would call him Dugan, which was his last name. But for the most part it was Dum Dum to all of us.”

“What were the Howling Commandos like?”  Natasha had to admit that it was interesting having people who remembered that era of history that weren’t in nursing homes right now.

“They were crazy,” a fond smile played at Mina’s lips as she remembered back to some of her days with the Howling Commandos.

_“Mina!”  Dum Dum shouted when he saw her enter the bar.  Steve and Bucky both looked up at the sound of her name.  She was smiling brightly at Dugan, their hearts pounding loudly in their chests._

_“Hello Dum Dum,” she bent down and pecked a kiss on his cheek.  She could tell they were all already three sheets to the wind, well all except Bucky and Steve.  She sat down next to Bucky and took his hand in hers. “What are we drinking tonight gentlemen?”_

_“Beer, as always,” Morita said._

_Jacques said something in French that had Gabe laughing.  He wouldn’t translate for the rest of the group though. Mina sat there for a few more moments before standing and getting a drink for herself._ _They talked and laughed, each of them getting drunker by the second.  Morita stood and came to stand in front of Mina, “Can I ask you to dance?”_

_She smirked at him, “You can Morita, but I doubt you’ll be much of a partner, you can barely stand as it is.  How are you going to twirl me around the dancefloor?”_

_“I have my ways, Gaspari,” he informed her._

_She stood, her hand slipping from Bucky’s, “Okay, but if you fall over or step on my toes, you owe me a drink, Morita.”_

_“Deal,” he took her hands and pulled her out onto the dance floor.  The two of them laughing as they swung around and around in circles.  Morita fell over causing Mina to raise her arms above her head and cheer out in happiness._

_“You owe me a drink, Morita!”  She turned to Bucky, his face split in a grin as he clapped._

The memory faded as she heard a door opening.  Steve stepped out wearing a red, white, and blue uniform.  Mina tried to hold back her grin, but Steve looked uncomfortable in his new suit.  “Lookin’ good, Rogers.”

Steve blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, “Shut it, Mina.”

“You look like the American flag threw up on you,” Natasha said with a smirk.

“Mr. Patriotic,” Mina grinned at Natasha.

“Are the two of you done teasing me?”  Steve’s brows furrowed, great there were two of them now.

“No,” they responded at the same time which only caused them to laugh.

Steve plopped down in the seat next to Mina and crossed his arms over his chest.  “When we get back to New York I want my own place. If you’re going to be mean to me then I don’t want to live with you.”

She pouted, “Come on, Steve, I’m just teasing you.”  He didn’t say anything and her heart dropped a little, maybe she had pushed too much.  “Steve?”

He hated how her voice sounded, he turned to look at her, worry etched all over her face.  He gave her a soft smile and he saw her start to relax a little, “It’s okay.”

She reached over and took his hand, he twined their fingers together and looked back to Fury, trying desperately to get his heart rate to slow down.  “When do we land in Germany?”

“You’ll take one of the jets,” he told Steve.  “You leave in the next thirty minutes. There’s some kind of event happening tonight, and they need one of the men attending to get a component for whatever the hell they’re building.”

Thirty minutes and Steve and Mina would be back on German soil trying to stop another bad guy from abusing the Tesseract’s powers.  It should be a cakewalk for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be busy tomorrow so y'all are getting an early update. Enjoy!


	22. Chapter 22

Mina and Steve were on the ground racing toward the event that Loki was attacking.  There were already reports of a man trying to get to Heinrich Schäfer. They were hearing that he was extracting the man’s eye and that he was DOA.   Loki was now standing amongst a group of people on the street talking about how they were meant to be ruled, that they craved to be subjects under a monarch such as himself.  Mina ground her teeth at the audacity of this man.   Steve threw his shield and knocked Loki off his feet before he could kill an older man that had refused to bow before someone like him.

Loki got to his feet, clearly not happy that he had been interrupted.  Mina’s hands were on fire waiting for the next attack to come, but Loki was merely staring at her with interest.  He hadn't exactly believed that someone like herself could live amongst the mortals on Midgard.  But here she was in front of him, all fire and fury, a look of determination burning in her eyes as she took him in.  “The soldiers out of time,” he chuckled. “I heard about the two of you. Such history with you.”   


“You need to leave,” Mina lifted her chin showing him that she wouldn’t be intimidated by him.  “We won’t let you do whatever it is you’re planning.”   


He smirked at her, he liked her spirit, how she seemed to have no fear.  “Such bravado from someone so small,” he wanted to see if he could provoke her with the simple statement, wanted to know if he could push her buttons in all the right ways.    


Steve stuck out his arm as she went to lunge for Loki, “Mina.”  He knew that her height was a sore point for her and the way he had said it had send waves of rage rolling through her.   


“Listen to the Captain, little girl.  This isn’t a fight you’ll win,” Loki responded with a wicked grin.  Mina knew immediately that he was enjoying this too much, that he was trying to provoke her.   


Mina straightened, her fire gaining more intensity, “Are you sure about that?”   


Loki went to respond when music began to blare from the Quinjet above them.  Mina looked up to see a red and gold suit coming toward their location. When the person landed Mina knew who it was immediately.  This was Tony Stark, Howard Stark’s son. He landed slightly in front of them and his suit showed off a multitude of weapons.

Mina leaned into Steve, “He’s definitely Howard’s son.”

Loki seemed to go easily after Tony showed up, which Mina found odd.  He supposedly had these amazing abilities, but the three of them were suddenly enough to make him think again?  It didn’t add up in her mind and Steve caught the look on her face as she studied Loki on the Quinjet.

“What’re you thinking?”  His arm brushed hers and she looked away from the god to her best friend.  

“That he came all too willingly," she responded, her eyes never leaving Loki's form.

“Maybe he just knew he was outmatched in this,” Steve responded.

Mina shook her head, “No there’s more to this then we’re understanding.  He wants to be here.”

There was a boom of thunder and Loki began to look nervous.  “What? Scared of a little storm?” Tony taunted from his position.

Loki glanced at them, “I’m not too fond of what’s coming next.”

Mina furrowed her brows, what came next?  Lightning came next, but they were safe in the Quinjet.  Before she could say anything to him something landed on the top of the Quinjet making everyone freeze.  “What was that?” Mina asked. They were too high up for anything that heavy to land on top of the jet.

Tony put his helmet on and headed for the door of the Quinjet when a blond man landed on the opened door.  Loki looked afraid of what was about to happen. Before Mina could react the unknown man had attacked Tony, throwing him backward with the swipe of his hammer.

Steve went down with Tony and Mina went to attack, but she was too slow.  The unknown man grabbed Loki and was gone.   Tony clamored to his feet.  And moved over to the edge of the jet ready to jump.  “Stark wait!” Steve called. “We need a plan, we can’t just go and attack them.”

“We don’t have time, we can’t let Loki get free or possibly be killed by this man.  We can’t lose the Tesseract.” Then he jumped out of the jet.

Steve hurried over to where the parachutes were.  “Stay here with Romanoff,” Steve told her. “Protect them in case that man comes back or there are more like him.”

Mina hated the idea of letting him go alone, but she nodded her head, “Stay safe.”

He nodded and then disappeared into the darkness.

 

Mina paced back and forth.  She was back on the Helicarrier with the others, Tony and Steve had managed to talk Thor down and managed to get him to agree to bring Loki back with them.  He had agreed, but only if he could come with them to keep an eye on his brother.

Well, his adoptive brother.

Steve stopped in front of Mina causing her to bump into him.  “What?” She looked up startled. She had moved to a less crowded part of the Helicarrier wanting to be away from all the craziness.  “Did something happen?”

“I came to check on you,” his voice was soft as he spoke.  He was still in his suit, then again so was she. “Are you okay?  You left kinda quickly after we told Fury what had happened and tried to come up with a plan.”

Mina chewed on her lip trying to form words, but her mind was just a jumbled mess at the moment.  “I’m fine, I guess. I’m just a little out of my depth here though.”

“So am I, but now that we have Loki in custody hopefully things will be easier,” Steve tried to sound hopeful, but he was having the same gut feeling as Mina.  Something was telling him that things were happening too easily.

“I don’t know, my sixth sense is telling me that something’s coming.”

Steve quirked an eyebrow, “You have another power you’ve been withholding from me, Gaspari?”

She smiled at him, “You never know, Rogers.  I could be a woman of many talents.” The two of them had gravitated closer to one another, neither of them paying attention to their surroundings.

Someone cleared their throat and Mina and Steve sprung apart.  They turned to see Natasha grinning at them, “I believe Tony was looking for the two of you.”

Mina could feel her cheeks heating, but why was she embarrassed?  She and Steve hadn’t been doing anything inappropriate. Steve cleared his throat, “Thank you.”  She smirked at the two of them and headed off to another part of the ship. “We should go see what Stark wants.”

“You’re probably right,” Mina responded as she began heading away from him.  “Come on Rogers, let’s go see how much like his father Tony really is.”

They made it just in time to see Tony poking Bruce with something sharp.  “Excuse me!” Mina placed her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed at the man in question.  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Bruce held up his hands, “It’s all right, I can handle his poking.”

Steve wasn’t looking too happy either.  He wasn’t quite sure how to take Howard’s son.  He seemed too carefree and not as responsible as his father had been.  Howard had been a playboy sure, but when it came to work and making sure things worked properly he was all business.

“Romanoff said you wanted to see us,” Steve said evenly.  Mina was still frowning at Tony.

Tony pointed at her with the object he had poked Bruce with, “I’ve heard virtually nothing about you.”

“You weren’t supposed to, I don’t exist,” she said.

Tony cocked his head to the side, “Everyone exists.  What’s your story witchy woman?”

Steve took Mina’s hand when he noticed her growing look of annoyance with the man before her.  “I was a ghost, I didn’t exist because we were afraid HYDRA would try to come for me. Also, I didn’t want the government controlling me.”

“But they did,” Tony said.  “Someone had to give you orders.”

“Colonel Phillips and Agent Carter were the only people who ever knew of my powers inside the army, everyone else assumed that I was like Agent Carter.”  She crossed her arms over her chest, “The only other person that knew of my powers was your father.”

Tony looked slightly taken aback by that admission, but then schooled his features into a look of casual disinterest.  “I think Dad did talk about you, beautiful, Italian woman who was seeing one of the soldiers he worked with.”

Mina snorted, “Howard, still a flirt even from the grave.”  She looked up at Steve, “Not that shocking, right?”

“No, it’s really not,” he commented.

Tony watched the two people in front of him, it was strange seeing people that knew his father looking so young.  Mina turned back to Tony and her eyes glanced over to where the computer was working, but it didn’t look like they were looking for the Tesseract.  “What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to be looking for the Tesseract?” She moved closer, grabbing the computer and looking at what Tony and Bruce were doing.

“We are, but we have some time to kill, so we’re looking into S.H.I.E.L.D. secrets,” he said simply.  “They’re up to something and I’m going to find out what. There’s something called Phase Two and I’m trying to discover exactly what Phase Two is.”

Mina looked back at Tony, “What is it about Phase Two that bothers you?”

“They were using the Tesseract for something, and I don’t think it had to do with energy as they claim.  What would S.H.I.E.L.D. want with energy? They’re a secret government organization that supposed to put a stop to terrorist attacks and whatever else might require their help.”

Mina thought back to where Natasha had taken Mina when she had gone to get her new suit.  There had been crates there, they had been labeled Phase Two. She walked over to Steve and pulled him along, “Come with me.”

Tony watched the two of them go before glancing at Bruce, “Now there’s a woman on a mission.”

Mina dragged Steve down the winding corridors of the Helicarrier.  Steve begging her to slow down and explain what was going on. “Not here,” she hissed.  She knew that they had eyes and ears all over the ship, she couldn’t risk the others knowing where she was going if they were even keeping an eye on her right now.

She opened the door where they had stored her and Steve’s suit, where Tony’s suit was currently resting along with various weapons for the agents aboard the Helicarrier.  She walked toward the back of the large room and pointed to the crates labeled Phase Two. 

Steve walked over and popped one open, his eyes narrowing as he took in the old HYDRA weapons.  He whirled around to face Mina, her face a mask of rage. “What the hell would they need these for?”

She walked over and picked one up, “I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”

The two of them set off down the halls, a few agents pausing when they saw the two of them carrying a weapon between them, saw the determined looks on their faces.  The agents pressed themselves against the walls thinking that it was best to not get in their way, especially with Mina’s abilities and Steve’s super soldier strength. 

There were others in Tony and Bruce’s lab when the two of them came back.  Mina’s eyes zeroed in on Fury, she placed the weapon on the table with a thud resounding through the now quiet lab.  “Explain,” her eyes glowing, causing everyone in the room to stiffen. No one was prepared to take on her, not when they weren’t entirely sure what she could even do.

All eyes cut over to Fury to see how he was possibly going to talk his way out of this one.


	23. Chapter 23

“Agent Gaspari, I’m going to need you to calm down,” Fury said, his hand resting on his gun ready to draw it if he needed too.

Mina could have laughed at the sight, as if he could have shot her before she attacked him.  He really was overestimating his chances. “I’ll calm down once you explain to me why the hell you have HYDRA weapons!”  She screamed at him. “Did you suddenly forget who Steve and I fought back in 1945? Did you think we would just blindly follow orders and work for an organization that tried to take over the world?”

Fury slowly held up his hands, he didn’t want to provoke her any more than she already was.  “We’re not HYDRA, we’re not creating weapons. We gathered everything we could find that related to the Tesseract so we could better understand how it worked.”

Tony cleared his throat and spun one of the computers around, “I’m sorry Fury, what was that lie that you were just spinning?”

On the screen were plans to build a weapon like HYDRA would have used.  Fury frowned, “Stark, stay out of this.”

Natasha and Thor stepped into the room before Mina or Steve could say anything else.  Natasha had just come from interrogating Loki and knew that Loki was trying to use Bruce to unleash the Hulk on everyone.  “Doctor Banner, do you think you should remove yourself for this environment?”

Bruce scoffed, “I was removed until you dragged me back in.”

Mina’s eyes were still trained on Fury, “I don’t know what made you think that this was a good idea, but Steve and I aren’t going to allow you to use the Tesseract to make weapons!”

“That isn’t a choice you get to make, Agent Gaspari,” Fury said.

She arched an eyebrow, “You wanna bet?”  Her hand was on fire, everyone in the room began to argue.  No one noticed as Bruce slowly started inching toward Loki’s scepter until he was holding it in his hands.  Mina turned her attention to him now, ready to do whatever needed in order to stop him.

But before anything could happen the computer went off and Bruce set the scepter down.  His eyes widened as he noticed where the Tesseract was, but before he could tell the others anything an explosion rocked the Helicarrier sending everyone flying backward.  Mina slammed into a table and groaned as pain bloomed in her back.

Steve was beside her, “You okay?” 

She nodded and pushed herself up, “Go, they need you.”

He looked torn but followed Tony out of the room.  Fury caught her arm, “Still think the weapons are a bad idea?”

She glared at him, “Yes.”  She wrenched herself free and went running through the halls to see what could be done and see how many were injured.

There were several agents down, some of them being carried on stretchers by those that weren’t too badly injured.  She heard shouting coming from down the corridor and rushed to see what the commotion was. She skidded to a halt when she saw men firing at the agents, some trying to carry their fallen comrades away from the firefight only to be shot themselves.   She leapt into action and threw her hands out sending the enemy agents flying backward, their guns falling out of their hands.  She looked toward the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, “Get these people out of here, I’ll hold them off!”

They nodded and quickly began carrying the others off, some acting as guards while they moved around Mina heading in the opposite direction from the men Mina had just thrown.  The enemy agents were beginning to sit up but froze when they saw the woman before them. Her eyes were glowing and her whole body seemed to be on fire.  They had never seen anything like this before and they weren't sure what to do to protect themselves against the woman strutting toward them, a determined look gleaming in her eyes.

Mina moved forward with a purpose, ready to knock the men out when they began running from her.  She grinned, “Stop!” They froze in place. “Sit and stay there.” She could see the confused, frightened looks on their faces, they didn’t know what was going on.  “You will stay here until another agent comes and handcuffs you, you will not resist, you will go willingly. Am I understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they all replied.

“Good boys,” she purred as she moved away from them.  She was heading in the direction they had come from looking for more just like them.  She made her way back to the main area where all the computers were. Agent Hill and Fury were firing at the enemy agents trying to come through the door.  Mina made quick work of them. “In the hall about a hundred yards from here there are enemy agents waiting to be handcuffed and moved to a holding cell.”

Fury looked impressed, “Managed to knock all of them out huh?”

She gave him the same devious grin, “No, they just listened to reason.”

A smile played at Fury’s lips, “Good work, Agent.  Most of the areas seemed to be clear, but they’re still some left running around.”

“I’ll go find them,” she responded.

She hurried back out of the room as several agents trailed behind her following her directions to the men still waiting in the hall.  She scoured the ship to make sure there was no one else left around. She heard that Thor was currently fighting the Hulk and Natasha was heading toward some man by the name of Barton.  She had no idea where Steve and Tony were but she hoped they were all right.   She had just come full circle around the Helicarrier when she heard, “Agent Coulson is down.”

“We’re sending backup to your location,” another agent responded.

“It’s too late, they’ve called it, he’s gone.”

Mina sucked in a breath.  She hadn’t spent any time with Agent Coulson, but she knew he was a good man, he looked up to Steve.  She felt a hand brush her elbow and she looked up to see Steve standing there, a grim look on his face.  “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head, “No, you?”

“Nothing too bad, just some bumps.”  His eyes skimmed over her face as if he didn’t believe that she wasn’t uninjured.  She was still sore from her tumble when the explosion had gone off, but other than that she was unharmed.  “Loki’s gone. In the confusion he managed to get away, the agents dressed like S.H.I.E.L.D. agents managed to slip in and take him.”

“What do we do now?”

“We regroup and then we go after Loki,” Steve seemed more determined at that moment than he had in the weeks since they had been woken.

What was left of the group reconvened in the main area of the Hellicarrier waiting for new orders on what they needed to do.  Thor and Hulk were the only ones missing. Natasha was taking care of Barton, Mina had discovered that he had been a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that Loki had used mind control on.  He was also Natasha’s best friend.

Fury was before them now, Tony was there, but he wasn’t saying much, clearly lost in his train of thought.  “I know the two of you don’t trust me right now and I can’t say I blame you, but we’re not HYDRA. When Thor and his brother showed up we were trying to create a way to protect ourselves against more people like him.  We’re outmatched in that field, that’s why we were using the Tesseract.”

“You should have been upfront with us in the first place,” Mina said, her hands resting on the table before her.  Some of her anger had worn off, but she was still on edge. “We know the world has changed and there are more dangers now than there were when we were around, but no good comes from that cube.”

“I realize that now.”  He reached into his coat pocket and tossed something at them.  “These were in Coulson’s pocket when he was killed. He believed in Captain America and all he stood for.  There’s nothing we can do to save him now and I don’t even know if we can stop Loki, hell we don’t even know where he went.”

Tony glanced up from his position as Fury walked away to give them a moment to process this.  “Loki is in this for the glory. He wants to rule us. He wants his name in… son of a bitch, I know where he’s going.”

Mina and Steve looked at Tony, both of them coming to the same realization.  “New York,” they said together.

“Go get Natasha,” Tony said as he stood.  “I’ll meet you all there.”

 


	24. Chapter 24

Mina had not been prepared to see the giant hole in the sky, or what was coming out of it. For a moment she thought back to Schmidt and how when he had tried to hold onto the Tesseract how the space above him seemed to open up and reveal the darkness of space. This was just like then but on a grander scale.

Clint landed the Quinjet on the ground just as the Chitauri began to come flying through the hole in the sky, giant alien beasts following after the others. Mina watched with wide eyes as beings from another world suddenly flooded theirs and she wondered how they were going to stop this madness.

“What do we do, Steve?” She tore her eyes away from the sight to look at Steve who was still watching the sky.

“We try to keep them away from the buildings for as long as we can until we figure out how to close that portal,” he said as he continued to watch the skies.

“Where do you want us, Captain?” Clint asked.

“I want you on a rooftop taking these bastards out as they come by you.” He looked at Mina, “Go with him, Natasha and I will hold things down here. We need to try and keep them as far away from the civilians as possible.”

They were about to break apart when Tony and Thor appeared followed by Bruce on a motorcycle. “Dr. Banner, you’re still alive,” Mina was shocked by this. He had fallen quite a ways when he had jumped from the Helicarrier onto a Quinjet that was trying to distract him from destroying the aircraft.

“I’m a lot harder to kill than you might think, Miss Gaspari,” he said with a meek smile. “I’m here to help in whatever way I can.”

There was a roaring sound and they all turned to see a giant flying beast coming their way. “Okay, now it might be time to bring out the green guy,” Tony commented.

Bruce took in a deep breath, clearly not pleased with the idea of bringing out the Hulk, but seeing that there were no other options he merely turned away from them and walked straight toward the beast. Mina watched with interest as Bruce began to grow in size until he was big and green.

The Hulk punched the flying beast, crushing its skull under his fists. It landed with a giant crash sending dust and debris flying into the air. Mina was impressed. “Well that’s one way to take down that alien creature,” Clint said.

“Tony you’ll be in the air, take out as many of them as you can,” Steve said. He looked toward Hulk next and said, “Hulk, smash.” The Hulk grinned and nodded his head before leaping into the air and taking out the Chitauri on their flying aircrafts.

Mina promised to meet Clint on the rooftop, Tony offered to take him up so he could get started on his mission. Mina walked over to Steve and kissed his cheek, “Don’t die.”

He stared at her for a moment, his cheeks coloring before nodding his head, “I won’t. Stay safe up there.”

She nodded before using her abilities to get her on top of the roof where Clint was waiting for her. “So you and Steve?” He questioned as he shot an arrow at on the Chitauri. “You a thing?”

Mina’s head whipped over to Clint, “What on earth do you mean?”

He shrugged his shoulders and shot another arrow without even looking in the direction the arrow went flying, “You two just seem really close. I figured maybe you all were a couple.”

Mina flung a fireball at one of the Chitauri that was approach Clint from behind. “No, we’re just… Steve and I are just friends, that’s all.”

Clint didn't look perturbed by her response or even disappointed in her answer. “Whatever you say, Miss Gaspari.”

“Mina,” she corrected. “You can call me Mina.”

He shot another arrow and looked at her, “You’re friends with Nat aren’t you?”

She nodded, “She’s the first friend I’ve made since waking up. She’s a little persistent.”

That made Clint laugh out loud, and Mina felt herself relaxing around him. She could actually see herself growing to like Clint, maybe even consider him a friend. They continued to work in tandem until more of the Chitauri focused their attacks on the ground where most of the people were.

“Can you help me down?” He questioned. He knew how she had gotten up on the roof, the question was, could she take both of them down?

“I’ve never tried with another person before,” she said a bit warily. “I don’t want to kill you.”

Clint cracked his neck, “I have faith in you.” Nodding, Mina lifted not only herself but Clint as well, into the air and together they headed for the ground. The landing was a bit rough, but neither of them was dead or seriously injured. “See, I told you that you could do it.”

She was a bit shaky as she said, “Let’s go find Steve and Natasha.” The two of them hurried through the streets until they came upon a particularly damaged section. “Good job you two,” Mina snarked. “Way to keep the city safe.”

Natasha pointed a finger at Mina, “You weren’t down here, you don’t know what we’ve put up with.”

Mina and Clint shared a look. “Well we managed not to destroy the tops of any buildings,” Clint said.

“я тебя ненавижу,” Natasha spat at Clint.

He gave her a middle finger before shooting one of the Chitauri. Another wave of Chitauri was coming and they momentarily put their argument on hold to take them out and to push them back some.

Mina and Steve leapt into the fight without a second thought, while Clint and Natasha hung back to shot at the Chitauri from a distance. Once the area was clear they kept moving trying to find more people to send down and away from the streets. Mina would provide cover while Steve got the people to safety.

There was a close call as they helped people off a bus, but they managed to take down the Chitauri that were shooting at them.

Mina had her back to the Chitauri, helping Steve get the passengers off the bus as quickly as she could.

Clint and Natasha were too busy to notice one of the Chitauri sneaking up from the side and when Steve noticed it, it was too late. It lifted its gun and fired at Mina, the blast hitting her in the leg sending her crumpling to the ground. Steve called out her name and tossed his shield, killing the Chitauri.

He dropped down beside her, “Mina, talk to me.”

She had managed to prop herself up against the side of the bus, her hand covering the spot where the Chitauri had shot her. Blood was oozing from the wound, coating her hand a bright red, “I’ll be fine.”

“Like hell you will,” Steve said as his gaze fell on the wound. He scooped her into his arms, “Hold them off, I need to stop Mina’s bleeding.”

“Go,” Natasha told him. “We’ll cover you here.”

Steve carried her into the building where the people they had rescued off the bus had gone. “Steve,” she groaned as he continued to carry her. “I’ll be fine.”

“Mina,” his voice was stern. “Do not fight me on this.”

She clamped her mouth shut, she knew there would be no winning with him at the moment. He sat her down on the floor when a woman walked over, saying she was a nurse and could help. She looked over Mina’s wound and said, “It looks worse than it is, it didn’t hit a major artery. I just need to wrap it to help slow the bleeding.”

Mina looked up at Steve and said, “See, I told you I was fine.”

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” he commented as he watched the woman take a gauze bandage someone had found in a first aid kit in one of the bathrooms. When she had made sure the bandage was tight enough she nodded her head and said, “You’re good to go, but do try not to put too much pressure on it right now.”

Mina stood, leaning heavily on Steve, “Thank you.”

The woman shook her head, “Don’t mention it.”

Mina continued to lean on Steve as they made their way back to the street. “Maybe you should take cover with the others,” Steve said as they stepped back outside. Clint and Natasha were still holding off a group of Chitauri.

“Listen here, Steven Grant Rogers, if you think I’m leaving your dumbass out here to play hero alone you are dead wrong. You attract trouble more than any other person on the planet, and someone has to make sure you don’t get yourself killed.”

He grinned at her, “I’m a dumbass, huh?”

“Yes, and if Bucky were here he would agree with me.”

“Oh-ho no, Bucky would agree with me. He’d want you in one of these buildings until the danger had passed, but he would know better than to say anything to you because he knew you would never listen.”

“Hey lovebirds,” Clint called out. “Are you planning on helping any time soon or are you all going to keep staring into each other’s eyes all lovey-dovey until you’re killed?”

Mina shot Clint a glare but ducked down behind the car he and Nat had themselves secured behind. “We need to get up there,” Natasha gestured to where the portal was coming from. “We need to close it or we’re never going to win.”

“I can do it,” Mina said as she peered up at Stark Tower. “I can close it.”

“Mina, I don’t know about that,” Steve didn’t know if she could hold her own alone right now. “You’re injured, it could be guarded and what happens if you get into a jam? I won’t be there to help you.”

She patted his cheek, “Your worry is noted, but I don’t need it, I can do this Steve. You just need to trust me.”

He stared at her for a long moment, “Do it.”

Before she could think twice about what she was going to do she launched herself into the air and flew toward Stark Tower, all the while dodging attacks from the Chitauri.

 

Steve watched Mina fly away, the worried look on his face made Natasha want to roll her eyes. “Relax, Rogers. She’ll be fine, she’s a highly trained, capable person. If Fury didn’t think she could handle this then he wouldn’t have asked her to join us and he wouldn’t have upgraded her suit.”

Steve looked back at Natasha, a slight frown on his face, “She’s the last person I have left in this world, Romanoff, of course, I’m worried about her.” He blocked an attack coming from one of the Chitauri. “I’m sorry if worrying about someone I care about is such a crime.”

Natasha looked over at him, “You love her.”

Steve blanched, “What?”

“You love her,” she repeated. “I thought you just had a little crush, but you love her.”

“Nat now is really not the time,” Clint said as a new wave of Chitauri began coming there way. “You can discuss whether he is or isn’t in love with Mina after we kill these freaky space bastards.”

Natasha pointed at Steve, “This discussion isn’t over.”

Steve turned back to the fight, trying to keep all thoughts of Mina up on Stark Tower alone from his mind. He wasn’t in love with Mina. He couldn’t be, he had told himself that hundreds of times in the past.  He wasn't in love with Mina.  He would repeat that over and over whenever he caught himself looking at her as anything more than just a friend.

She was Bucky’s girl.

But things were different now.  He was in love with Mina.

He always had been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> я тебя ненавижу = I hate you
> 
> I have learned that I no longer really keep my original schedule, I normally post the day before now lmao.


	25. Chapter 25

Mina landed on the terrace of Stark Tower where the portal was being held open. Doctor Erik Selvig was laying on the ground, a little bit of blood was trailing from a wound on his forehead. “Doctor Selvig,” Mina said as she slowly approached him. Her eyes were scanning the area around her but she didn’t see Loki or any of the Chitauri there. She furrowed her brow, it was kinda stupid for there to be no backup at one of the most vulnerable places during the attack. They needed this thing for the portal to stay open so that they could cross over. “I need you to tell me how to close the portal, Doctor Selvig.”

Doctor Selvig groaned and pushed himself into a sitting position. “Loki’s scepter,” he pointed below him. “It’s the only thing that can break the seal and stop the reactor.”

Mina moved toward the ledge and saw Loki’s scepter laying on the ledge below. She looked back at Doctor Selvig to see if there were any signs of trickery, but he looked like he was beating himself up over what he had done.  Mina jumped down and retrieved the scepter before heading back up to where the reactor and Doctor Selvig was, “How do I close it?”

“Right there,” Doctor Selvig pointed to where the Tesseract was. “That is the weakest point, the energy from the scepter should be able to shut the portal down.”

She nodded and pressed a hand to her ear, “I can shut down the portal, there’s a way.”

“Then do it,” she heard Steve say.

“No!” Tony cut in. “Not yet!”

“Tony are you crazy?” Steve asked. “We can’t hold these things off for much longer.”

“There’s a nuke coming in, and I know right where I’m going to put it.”

Mina looked up at the portal and dread filled her, “Tony, if you do that then you might not make it back.”

“I know the risks, Miss Gaspari, but there’s no other option.” The lines went silent and for a moment it seemed as though time had slowed down around her and the others. She waited and watched as she saw Tony in his suit sending the nuke through the portal. She held her breath and waited, hoping she would see the young Stark falling back through the opening.

“Close it, Mina,” she heard Steve said with regret in his voice.

Mina closed her eyes and took a breath before opening them once again and thrusting the scepter at the reactor. She felt the resistance as the barrier fought to keep her out, but she was stronger and touched the reactor.

It began to shut down, the beam shooting into the sky disappearing and she watched as the portal began to close right as the nuke hit the alien ship destroying it and the others coming at the portal.

Before the portal could close completely she saw Stark fall through and she let out a relieved breath before she realized he wasn’t conscious. A hand covered her mouth and she let out a strangled cry.

She and Tony may not have gotten off to the best of starts, but that was Howard’s son, her friend’s son. She didn’t want to see anything bad happen to him. She rushed to ledge ready to try and help him slow down when she saw Hulk appear out of nowhere and catch Tony.

Relief washed through her and she sank to her knees, it was over and they were all there. “Miss?” She turned to see Doctor Selvig standing behind her, he was wringing his hands nervously. “Loki is still in there,” he pointed behind them towards where it looked like a lavish office had been set up. 

“I’ll take care of him,” she said with a nod of her head.

It took the others a moment to gather, but they joined Mina in the office in front of an unconscious Loki. “Did you do this?” Clint asked.

She shook her head, “No, he was like this when I found him.” She turned and looked at Hulk, “I’m assuming this is your handy work?” The big, green man nodded and she smiled sweetly at him, “Good job.” Hulk preened under the compliment, no one had ever told him that he had done a good job before.

Before the others could say anything else Loki began to stir and pushed himself toward the stairs so he could recline on them. When he looked up he saw the angry group of people in front of him. He slowly raised his hands, “If you wouldn’t mind, I think I’d like to have a drink.”

 

The news was playing softly in the background of their apartment. Mina was washing the dishes from their afternoon lunch. The newscasters were going on and on about the Avengers and how they didn’t know if they could trust this group of enhanced individuals. Mina wanted to roll her eyes at their unease.

They had just saved New York from an alien invasion and they didn’t know if they could trust them? How idiotic were these people?

Steve entered the room, his eyes glancing at the TV screen before falling back on Mina, “Stark invited us to dinner tonight, do you want me to tell him to expect us or would you rather spend the night in?”

Mina took in a deep breath, “I want to go to my parents’ shop.”

Steve froze at the declaration, she had been avoiding that topic for weeks now. “Are you sure?”

She nodded her head, still not looking at her friend, “After everything that’s happened I need to stop hiding from my past. I want to see if the people who run it now can tell me anything about my parents that Fury’s files couldn’t.”

“Don’t push yourself, doll,” the nickname had been slipping out more and more since he had realized he was in love with her. She no longer tensed up when he used it, she actually liked it. It reminded her of the good old days, and it gave her a sense of familiarity.

She finally turned and met his gaze, she could see how worried he was. He had been babying her in a sense since they had gotten back from their fight. Her leg was still sore, but it was healing quickly. “I’m not pushing myself, Stevie. I just need to rip the bandaid off, no more hiding and all that jazz.”

“All right, if you’re sure then we can go there tonight. I’ll just tell Tony that we need a raincheck.” He pulled out his phone and began to dial Tony’s number. Mina was impressed at how far he had come in a short period of time.

It had been two weeks since the fight and Mina had been helping him learn how to use the new technology, he absorbed everything like a sponge and he was so inquisitive about things. It made her smile to see that he was doing a little bit better than he had when they had first been woken up.

The two of them spent the rest of the day on the couch watching movies with one another. Mina’s head rested on Steve’s shoulders and he could smell her perfume and it was driving him insane.

When the clock struck four Mina and Steve made their way to Brooklyn. Steve pointed out alleys where he used to be beat up and Mina laughed as he recounted how many times Bucky would come and pull his ass out of trouble.

“I swear keeping me out of trouble was Bucky’s full-time job. It was like he had radar!” Steve laughed, his stomach hurting from how much of it he was doing. “Any time I was in trouble it was like he sensed it and he would come running.”

Mina smiled, “When he went off to war he made me promise that I would look after you. And when you went into the army I thought he was going to kill me for allowing you to go.”

Steve looked at her stunned, “You mean to tell me that you only went because of a promise to Bucky?”

She shook her head, “Not just because of Bucky. You were, and still are, my friend. I wanted to make sure nothing bad happened. Look, I couldn’t go over and keep an eye on Bucky, but I would be damned if I didn’t follow your scrawny ass into the military. Stevie, you were an asthmatic! It’s a miracle you didn’t keel over during the training process with how much they were making you do.”

Steve pouted slightly and turned toward the window, “And here I thought you just couldn’t live without me.”

“Oh that too,” Mina smiled and laced her fingers through Steve’s. “What would I do without my scrappy friend from Brooklyn hanging out at my parents’ restaurant day in and day out?”

“I’m sure you would have found another stray to take care of,” he said a bit softer, his joking tone dying down.

She shook her head, “You weren’t a stray, Steve. Please don’t ever think that all you were to me or to my parents was some charity project because we felt bad for you. My parents loved you like a son and… and I don’t know what I would have done if we hadn’t met that day. You’re such a big part of my life and I don’t regret ever meeting you.”

He looked up at her, “You mean that?”

“Wholeheartedly,” she responded, her voice never wavering.

Steve could have leaned in and kissed her right then and there, but the cab came to a stop, “All right, we’re here.”

Steve paid the fare and the two of them stepped out. Mina’s breath caught in her throat as she looked up at the sign reading Little Slice of Napoli. The paint was newer, but it was the same sign that her father had painted when he and her mother had opened the shop. The window also boasted her father’s artistic talents.

Steve tugged her closer, an arm wrapping around her waist as she was overcome with emotions. Tears blurred her vision and she buried her face into Steve’s chest. He held her as she worked through her feelings. If she had said she wanted to go at that very instant he would have taken her down the street and hailed another cab for them.

The door to the restaurant opened the next thing they heard was a child-like voice saying, “Look Mommy, it’s the woman from the photo!” She rushed over to Mina and tugged on her skirt, “Did you really save the world with Captain America?”

Mina blinked down at the small child before her, stunned that she recognized the two of them. The little girl’s parents came running over. “I’m so sorry,” The dad looked at Mina while scooping up his little girl. 

Mina shook her head, breaking out of her trance, “No, no it’s all right. Yes, I did.” She looped her arm through Steve’s, “You see Captain America and I are very good friends.”

The little girl’s face lit up, “It’s Captain America! Mommy! Daddy! Look!”

“Would you like a picture with us?” Steve asked with a smile, causing the little girl to nod her head vehemently. He took her in his arms and her mother snapped a photo with her phone and thanked the two of them. 

The little girl said her goodbyes and Mina looked up at Steve, “I’m ready.” She took his hand and they entered the restaurant.

They stepped inside and were greeted by photos covering the walls. Mina’s heart beat erratically in her chest as she took everything in. There weren’t many people sitting at the tables or in the booths. The sounds from the kitchen were muffled over the sounds of the music coming out through a speaker in the corner.

Mina’s eyes drifted over to the wall covered in photos. She moved toward it and glanced at the newspaper articles about Steve and her, and the restaurant. There were a few pictures of Italy, they were older and seemed to have been taken by her parents. Then there were some of her and Steve. She stopped at the one of her, Steve, and her parents when they had come to see his show.

She chuckled and pointed to it. “Look Stevie, they still have the photo.” He chuckled as he took it in, his eyes distant as he was lost in the memory.

She continued down the wall until she came upon one of her and Bucky at the Barnes’s home. She recognized it from the night Bucky had come back from training for Becca’s wedding. Becca had taken it after Mina had fallen asleep on Bucky’s shoulder.

Mina hadn’t even realized the door to the kitchen opening and a man in his early forties stepping out. “Oh hello!” He said cheerily. “I see our little wall has caught your attention--” He froze when Mina turned her head. He had hazel eyes much like her father had had. “Oh my God, you’re her and he’s,” he stood there wide-eyed as he fought to find the right words.

“We should probably sit down,” Mina suggested. 

“Yeah,” he murmured. “Let me close up shop, and I’ll get the others.” He hurried into the kitchen and told the others who he had seen and who was here.

Mina moved toward the door and placed the sign to CLOSED. She looked back at Steve, “I have a feeling we’re going to be here for awhile.”


	26. Chapter 26

Nico Gaspari was the son of her cousin, Elena, after Mina’s supposed death more of the family came over from Italy to help Marcus and Alia take care of the business.  They had managed to keep it open for almost a hundred years, being one of the favorites in the neighborhood.

No one said anything as the rest of Mina’s family gathered in the dining area, several different pizzas and pitchers of soda sat in front of them.  Mina and Steve glanced at one another before reaching for the pizza that used to be their favorite. Everyone following their movements as they put a couple of slices on their plates.   “How are you alive?  Uncle Marcus was told that you had been killed in action,” Nico said.

Mina chewed on her slice of pizza, not as good as her father’s but not bad either.  It tasted like home and it gave her a sense of comfort. “Of course they did, they didn’t know where I was or that Steve and I were even still alive.  What else were they supposed to say?”

Lillian put her hand on her husband's arm, “What happened to the two of you?  Why are you only showing yourselves now?”

Steve took that question, “We’ve only been awake for a couple of weeks.  Back in 1945, we stopped the leader of HYDRA, but unfortunately, we were in a jet that crash-landed in the ice where we slept for seventy some years.  We were only recently just found and woken up. As you can imagine finding out everyone we ever knew was dead and times had changed took a bit of a toll on us.”

“Then we had to fight a space war,” Mina chuckled.  She looked over at Lillian, “I’ve been to the neighborhood, but I couldn’t bring myself to come here.  It was hard knowing that my parents believed that I had died on that day. Hell, I even thought I was gonna die, and then I wake up here in this strange time in a place that’s familiar but isn’t really.  I just couldn’t bring myself to come here and be hit with all the memories of this place.”

“Can you tell us about some of the pictures hanging on the wall?”  Will asked, he was the youngest one present and was the teenage son of Nico and Lillian.

Mina gave him a sweet smile, “Sure, come here.”  She got up and walked over to the wall looking for a good place to start.  She found an image of pre-serum Steve handing up and pointed it out, “That’s Steve before the serum.”

“No way!”  Will’s eyes widened as he stared at the photo.  

Mina chuckled, “He was this scrappy person back then.  The first time we met he had gotten into a fight outside the shop in the alleyway.  His friend Bucky had chased the guys away. I went outside and checked him, patched him up and we became friends.  My parents used to feed him all the time.” She pointed to the one of Steve after the serum where she was with her parents.  “That was the last time I saw Ma and Papá. They had come to see one of Steve’s shows before we left for Europe.”

Will pointed to another one, the very one that Mina had been looking at before Nico had come out, “Who is that?”

Mina’s hand drifted to her necklace, “That was my boyfriend Bucky.  He had come home from his training to see his youngest sister get married.”  She turned to the others, “Do any of you know what happened to Rebecca Barnes?”

“The Barnes and the Gasparis stayed friends,” Jamie said, he was Nico’s younger brother.  “Rebecca had a daughter who she named Mina.” Steve looked back to see Mina’s stunned expression.  To say she was stunned was an understatement, she was blown away that Rebecca would name a child after her. “She’s still alive too. She’s at a little home outside the city.  And she married our uncle Vigo.”

It made Mina happy that the Barnes and the Gasparis were still so close even after all these years.  She felt something rolling down her cheek and wiped away the stray tear that had fallen. She gave a small chuckle, “Well that was unexpected.”

Steve was by her side in an instant, “You okay?”

She nodded, shooting him a watery smile, “They’re happy tears for once.”  

They returned to their seats and continued to tell the others of their childhoods and their war years together.  When they left the restaurant Mina promised to visit more often and even asked them to pass the word on to Mina Barnes that she wanted to meet the woman who Rebecca had named after her.

Steve slipped his hand into hers and gave it a squeeze, “Did you have a good time tonight?”

She nodded her head and bit her lip, “I did.  Nico reminded me of Papá. I didn’t know their parents well, they were in Italy and I had only ever visited once when I was a small child.  But they’re Gasparis through and through.” She rested her head on Steve’s arm as she clung to his hand like it was her lifeline. “The family business has been left in good hands.”

They continued down the street together, enjoying the way the sun was casting a glow over the buildings as it disappeared and the sky became a hue of colors.  Steve enjoyed the warmth that Mina was giving off as she pressed herself against his side. “Mina, there’s something I need to tell you,” Steve’s heart picked up.  “Something I’ve come to realize.”

She looked up at him, pulling away slightly, “What is it?”

He stopped and Mina paused with him, “I, um, I have feelings for you, Mina.  Feelings that run deeper than just friendship.” He took her other hand in his, “I realized it during the fight, and I think I always have had feelings for you.  And you’re Bucky’s girl, and I feel like the shittiest friend in the world, but Bucky’s not here and you’re all I have left. I don’t want to lose you and yeah, that’s it.  I like you and I don’t want to lose you as well.”

Mina stood there completely flustered by his declaration.  “Steve, I had no idea....”

“I’m not trying to replace Bucky, I know you still love him, and I would never ask you to stop or think that I’m going to try and take his place.  I just needed you to know.”

Mina’s mind was racing a million miles an hour.  What was she supposed to say to this? How was she supposed to react?  Steve liked her and she felt like her world had been turned upside down.  Even the aliens invading New York didn’t make her feel this confused and disoriented.  “I need to sit down,” she murmured as she felt dizzy. Everything was hot, why was it hot?  She stumbled over to a bench and sat down unceremoniously. “That was the last thing I was expecting to hear tonight.”

Steve stood in front of her with a pained look on his face.  He had made the wrong call by telling her, of course he had, he berated himself.  He should have just kept his feelings bottled up. “I’m sorry, I should have never said anything.  I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Steve.  Her oldest friend had a crush on her.  The thought kept playing in her mind on a loop.  What the hell was she going to say or do? Her emotions were all over the place at the moment.  “I want to go home,” she said at last as she stood up. “I’m tired.”

“O-okay, let me get a cab,” he walked to the edge of the sidewalk and waited to see if he could flag someone down while Mina stood back and studied him.  Clint had seemed to think that there was more between the two of them than just friendship. She had never really put much thought into it. 

She had always thought that Steve was handsome even when he was smaller than most.  It was his kindness that had made her like him, not his looks. And she had always felt protective of him.

Maybe she did have feelings for Steve and she just never realized it because she had been with Bucky and she had only thought of Steve as her friend.  Would things have been different if it had been Steve she had wound up with instead? Would their dynamic have differed any?

The cab ride back to their apartment was quiet as the two of them stared out their respective windows.  Steve was busy thinking he had been an idiot for telling her how he felt while Mina was trying to sort through a mess of feelings and thoughts.

When they reached their apartment Steve unlocked the door and rushed inside, heading for his room so he could hide out for the rest of the evening, or maybe even two weeks so his embarrassment wouldn’t make him want to shrivel up and die.  

The only thing that stopped him was Mina’s voice calling out and saying, “Steve wait!”

He froze and turned to face her, before he could say anything she was standing in front of him, her hands winding around his neck, her fingers traveling up and into his hair gently pulling him down and kissing him softly


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags have been updated.

Steve stood there stunned for a moment before his eyes drifted shut and his arms went around her waist pulling her against him.  She moaned as one hand went up into her hair and tugged gently causing her mouth to open slightly and allowing his tongue to slip into her mouth deepening the kiss.  Steve felt like his brain was going to short circuit.  Mina had kissed him and now they were in their hallway making out like they hadn't been friends for the longest time.  This felt right to Steve like this was how things were supposed to go.  He loved the feeling of her body against his, how soft her lips were, and how he could taste her strawberry chapstick and the mint she had had earlier.

Steve had often listened to Bucky talk about how soft Mina’s hair was and how he loved feeling it slide between his fingers, but nothing compared to actually experiencing the sensation for himself.  He had had many a dream where he was running his hands through her hair, sometimes they were just lying in bed together talking, other times Steve had woken up and needed a cold shower to help wipe the images from his mind. 

The soft moans coming from her as he teased her were also driving him insane, he never thought he would actually get to hear those sounds coming from her, but now that he was he was committing them to memory.  He was committing everything about this to memory.  

He wasn’t sure if he would ever stop kissing her, but she broke the kiss, breathing heavily, her pupils dilated.   He tilted his head and lightly brushed his lips against hers again in a teasing, chaste kiss.  He heard her breath catch, her fingers lightly brushed the back of his neck making him shiver. She was so close and every little brush of her body against his sent shivers down his spine.  She smelled like lilacs and clean clothes, and to him, that was the sweetest smell in the world. 

But there was a part of his brain telling him that this was wrong. She was Bucky’s girl. His best friend’s fiancé. 

But Bucky was dead and Mina was all he had left. He did love Mina and he had come to love her closeness. He loved the way her shampoo smelled when she sat next to him on the couch as they watched movies or TV, and how she hummed a song under her breath on the days when she was feeling happy.  He wouldn't trade her for the world.

Mina was struggling with her own internal war. This was Steve. Her friend, Bucky’s best friend. She did love him. And right now she needed this. Needed to be close to him in this way.  It had been so long since someone had touched her in such an intimate way and told her how they had felt. She trusted Steve, and she realized that maybe she had started to develop feelings for him as well.  The way they acted with one another had told her that she was feeling something deeper than friendship for Steve. 

“Mina—" his voice was breathy as he said her name. 

She shook her head, “Don’t overthink this. Not tonight. I need this. We need this. Tomorrow we can sort things out, but tonight I just need you.” She looked up at him, there was no indecision in her eyes. She had come to the conclusion that this was what she wanted even if it was for the night. 

Steve cupped her face with his hands and closed the distance between them. She stood on her toes bringing herself closer to him, enjoying how soft his lips were.   For once she wasn’t thinking about Bucky or her parents. For once Steve wasn’t thinking about anyone he had lost. The two of them lost in the moment together. 

Steve carefully picked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he walked them toward his bedroom, gently closing the door with his foot. 

He gently laid her down on his bed, waiting for the moment when she would tell him to stop, that this was all too much, but it never came.  She pulled him back down so that his lips were on hers again. Her hands traveled down to the buttons of his shirt and slowly she began to undo them one by one.

Steve’s hand was traveling up her exposed thigh, goosebumps forming under the path his hand was taking.  This was all new to Steve, and he suddenly began to feel a little self-conscious about his lack of experience.   He knew that Mina and Bucky had been intimate like this, and he was worried that compared to his best friend he would be a letdown.

Mina seemed to sense his train of thoughts as she felt his hand freeze as it reached the apex of her thighs.  She flipped them so that she was straddling his hips, “Steve, if you don’t want this tell me right now.” She didn’t want to force him into something he wasn’t comfortable doing.  Maybe she was pushing him into this too fast.  She didn't want him to feel uncomfortable.

He shook his head, “God no, doll.  I do, but I’m afraid.” He bit his lip and closed his eyes as he felt his cheeks heat.  This was embarrassing, his lack of experience had never mattered to him until that moment.  “I’ve never, uh, done this before.”

Mina’s soft smile sent his heart into a wild gallop, there was no judgment in her eyes, no look of annoyance.  “I’ve got you, Captain.  Just relax.” She leaned back down and kissed him again, her lips skimming along his jaw toward his ear. “I’ve got you,” she whispered as he began to squirm under her. 

Steve sat up so that he was eye level with her and placed featherlight kisses along her jaw and then down her neck, his hands going for the hem of her shirt and tugging it over her head.  She shivered when his hands touched her bare skin. “Tell me what to do, doll,” he whispered against her ear before his teeth gently nipped at the skin there.  He was gaining a little more confidence as each moment passed, knowing that Mina would help guide him through it made him feel better.

She pushed the shirt he was wearing away and tossed it on the floor with her own leaving him exposed before her, her hands trailing down his chest toward his belt.  She leaned in and whispered all the things she wanted Steve to do to her and if his mind hadn’t been so clouded by lust he probably would have blushed.  He had never known she was this dirty-minded before.  Her fingers trailed over his chest an innocent look in her eyes as she smiled at Steve, she shouldn't look innocent after all those dirty words had spilled from her lips.

"I'm pretty sure you didn't learn that back in the forties," Steve had said as one of his hands trailed up to her breast to fulfill one of the ideas she had given him.

"Because I didn't learn all those things back in the forties," she groaned as he pinched her nipple between his fingers and his lips trailed down to her chest.  "As I told you, the internet has been so helpful," her eyes rolled shut and she arched into him, her breath hitched and Steve felt his ego swell some knowing he was bringing her pleasure. 

There were still moments where he felt unsure of what he should do and Mina would take over, she didn't mind taking the lead.  Steve would clench the sheets between his fists, Mina whispering praises in his ear, telling him how good he was doing.  The evening continued on in much a similar fashion, sometimes Steve in control other times Mina.  By the time they were done, both of them had a thin sheen of sweat coating their bodies, their breathing the only sound in the room.

Mina rolled over and pressed her body against Steve, tucking her head under his chin and sighing happily.  Steve pulled the sheet over both of them and gently wrapped his arms around her, kissed the crown of her head before settling in to get some rest.

 

In the morning Mina woke to a warm body beside her, her still half-asleep brain was taking a moment to catch up to where she was at the moment.  She was pressed against Steve and they were both nude.  Then she remembered the previous night and how she and Steve had had sex.

And she didn’t regret it for a moment.

She looked up and saw that Steve was still asleep beside her, his hair mussed from their escapades the night before.  She could only imagine what her own hair looked like at that moment.

She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss to Steve’s chest.  He mumbled something in his sleep and she grinned before moving a bit higher.  She felt him stiffen slightly under her and she knew he was slowly waking up.

Her lips grazed his neck next and his eyes fluttered open.  “Mina?” His hoarse morning voice sent a little thrill of pleasure shooting through her.  His eyes widened as he realized the two of them were nude and that they had done something very naughty the night before.

“Morning, Captain,” she teased.  She loved the way his cheeks heated and how he became shy.  “How’d you sleep?”

“I, uh, I slept, well I think I slept, uh, fine,” he stammered.

One of her fingers danced lazily over his skin, “I did too.”  Her finger moved down his chest slowly and over his abs. Steve’s eyes fluttered shut as her hand disappeared below the sheets.  “Did you have fun last night, Stevie?”

“Shit, doll,” he moaned causing her to smirk.  She liked teasing him like this, seeing his reactions to her.

“Come on, Steve,” she cooed.  “Did you have fun last night?”

“Yes,” his hips bucked upward and her smirk never wavered.

“So did I,” she whispered against his ear.  His eyes were still squeezed shut, his mouth hanging open slightly as her hand continued to tease him.  “I don’t know why you were so worried, Captain. You were a natural.”

He hissed and the arm that was wrapped around her waist tightened slightly.  “Mina,” he groaned.

Suddenly her hand disappeared and she was slipping out of bed, “I’m famished I think I’m going to go fix us something to eat.”

Steve sat up, his eyes wide.  “Doll!” He whined.

She paused in the doorway, turning so that he could see the smirk on her face, “Yeah, Stevie?”

He narrowed his eyes at her, she knew exactly what she was doing to him.  “You little minx!” He leapt out of bed, and Mina squealed as he caught her around the waist and pinned her against the wall, “Did you enjoy teasing me?”  His fears and uncertainties were nowhere to be seen this morning.

“Maybe just a little,” she said before kissing the corner of his mouth.

He hummed, “I think I need to return the favor.”  He captured her lips in a heated kiss that sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach.  If she hadn’t wrapped her legs around his waist she probably would have felt like they had turned to jelly.

He kept her pinned to the wall as they picked up where they had left off the night before.


	28. Chapter 28

Two days had passed since Steve and Mina had first started their new relationship.  Neither of them had left the apartment because they were too wrapped up in one another.  Steve liked laying beside her, tracing patterns on her bare skin as she read one of her books, or listening to her talk about the movies he had yet to watch.   Some nights she would read to him from one of the books she had started reading, her fingers threading through his hair as he laid beside her.  Tonight was one of those nights where she was reading to him. He wasn’t paying too much attention to the details of the story, he was just content to listen to the sound of her voice.

“Steve?”  She looked down and noticed that his eyes were closed, his breathing steady.

“Mmm?”  He hummed, one eye opening so he could peer up at her.

She smiled, “Nothing, just making sure you’re still awake.”  She turned her attention back to the book and continued to read again.

Steve laid there a little while longer before he started to trail his finger up and down her thigh.  Her voice changed when he began to do that, and he grinned knowing that he was affecting her. He heard her heart skip several beats, and she began to talk slower as if she were trying harder to concentrate on what she was doing.

He continued to tease her as she tried, failingly, to continue reading to her.  “Steve!” She finally shouted exasperated that he was distracting her. She threw the book down not caring that she just lost her place, and glared at him.  “Would you please!” She whined.

One of his hands came up to dislodge her shirt so that he could kiss the skin of her stomach.  Her muscles tightened as she knew exactly where this was going.   “What?”  He smiled up at her the look of pure innocence with those beautiful blue eyes and sweet smile.

How he could look so innocent when she knew exactly where his thoughts were, were beyond Mina.  “I know what you’re doing,” she said, her glare still in place.

“I’m not doing anything, doll.  I’m just kissin’ my girl,” he kissed her stomach again to make a point.

“That is not what you’re doing and you know it,” she said firmly.  “Now either get your mind out of the gutter or stop teasing me and get to whatever it is you have running through that devious mind of yours.”

He tugged her so that she was lying beneath him, a smirk on his face, “Demanding aren’t we?”

She narrowed her eyes, “Steven Grant Rogers, I am in no mood to be toyed with.”

Steve went to respond, his hand going to tug her sleep shorts down when his phone began to ring.  His head dropped and he growled before rolling over and grabbing his phone, “What do you need, Fury?”

Mina sighed, she knew that they would only get a small break after the battle before Fury was calling them to get them to help with problems that he had.  Steve continued to listen to whatever it was that Fury was telling him and finally hung up. “What did he want?” Mina asked.

“He wants us to come in and talk about maybe joining S.H.I.E.L.D., said he gave us a few weeks off after the battle so that we could relax and continue to get used to life now,” he said.

“Do you want to join S.H.I.E.L.D.?”  She ran her fingers through his hair and watched his facial expression to try and gauge what he was thinking.

“I don’t know,” he said truthfully.  “But what else can we do? We’re not cut out for life in this time period, not like the others.  What would even do? What are our qualifications?”

She pulled him down and kissed him on the lips in a sweet and tender kind of way.  “Why don’t we go and talk to Fury? See what this life would entail for us and go from there, yeah?”

Steve nodded his head, “All right, I can do that.”

“Good,” she kissed his nose and picked the book back up.  “When do we go and meet with him?”

“Tomorrow at noon,” Steve responded.

 

Noon rolled around and Natasha met them out front of the S.H.I.E.L.D. with a smile on her face.  “Mina, Steve, Fury’s going to be happy that the two of you came.”

“This doesn’t mean we’re joining,” Steve said defensively.  “We’re only here to talk about what this would mean for us. We’re not joining at the moment.”

Natasha raised her hands, “All right, all right don’t bite my head off.”  She led them inside and got them visitor passes so that they could move about when they weren’t with Fury or her.  She stopped in front a door that led to an office, “This is where I leave you. Good luck,” she shot them both a smile, pulling out her phone and shooting a text off to Clint about how she owed him twenty bucks.

Mina raised her hand and knocked on the door, “Come in.”  Steve pushed the door open and saw that Fury had his back to them, staring out the window at the street below.  “I’m glad the two of you decided to come.” He turned and looked at him with his good eye. “Take a seat, let’s have a conversation about your future at S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Mina and Steve sat together for two hours with Fury talking about what joining S.H.I.E.L.D. would look like and what their lives would be like.  He told them that he was going to be moving offices down to D.C. in a little over a month and he wanted the two of them to join him.   Mina and Steve had looked at one another when he announced that wanted them to uproot their life in New York to move to the nation’s capital.  Mina wasn’t sure how she liked that idea. It was a new adventure, sure. But New York had always been her home, she never pictured herself living somewhere else.

“I’ll let the two of you discuss this some more on your own.  I know that you two won’t go anywhere without the others. So take some time, talk it over and give me a call when you’ve made your decision,” Fury told them.

He led them out of his office and to the front door, the guard there taking their visitor badges and ushering them out of the building.  Steve and Mina were both quiet on their cab ride home, too lost in thought about the future they were about to face.

Mina tossed her purse on the counter and slumped into the chair, “What do you think?”  

Steve moved toward the refrigerator and grabbed a beer out.  He popped the cap off and took a long swig of it. “I think that I need more time to decide about this.  We’re talking about moving here, Mina. We’ve never lived anywhere other than New York, and our time in Europe doesn’t count, we weren’t living there  _ per se. _ ”

“I know that this is a big decision, Steve,” she said as she stood to grab herself a beer.  “But I want to know what your initial thoughts about this are.” She narrowed her eyes, “You’re closing off from me right now and I want to know what you’re thinking.”

“I’m considering it, okay?”  Steve pinched the bridge of his nose.  “Because I don’t know how to exist outside this little bubble we have here and while it’s great, I need more.”

She knew that his happiness was only temporary, she had adjusted quicker to life outside of fighting and what she knew.  Steve was still struggling. “All right, but we do this as a team. I’ll only join if you join,” she said. She walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist.  “I just want you to be happy, Steve. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“I know and I am happy Mina, I promise.  It’s just that I need more,” he kissed the top of her head.

“Then let’s take Fury up on his offer, but if it’s not for us then we stipulate that we get to walk away whenever we want and that we have a right to refuse missions,” she said.  “That way we’re not at his beck and call all the time.”

“That works for me,” he told her.

 

A week later Steve gave Fury there offer and Fury accepted it.  Mina and Steve began to pack up their life, Fury told them that their apartment would be waiting for them when they decided to come back home.

Mina looked around at the things they weren’t taking with them and smiled a soft, wistful smile.  “This place was a good home,” she said to Steve as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“It was,” he responded.  “We’ll come back one day.  D.C. isn’t going to be permanent.”

“You’re right,” she turned around and looked up at him.  “There’s one thing I want to do before we leave.”

“You want to go visit Becca’s daughter, don’t you?”  Steve’s voice was soft as he spoke. He knew this was coming, she had been avoiding it since she had learned about the other Mina’s existence.

Mina nodded her head, “Yeah, I would.  I need to visit her at least once. The last time I went and saw Nico he told me that she was ready whenever I was to meet her.”

“Just say the word and I’ll take you out there,” he kissed the top of her head, his arms tightening around her slightly.

“Let’s go tomorrow.  We leave next week and I don’t want to feel rushed.”  Steve hummed to let her know he was okay with that and released her.  She went to get ready for bed while Steve stayed up to watch TV. He had grown more comfortable with technology with Mina’s gentle guidance.  He liked staying up and watching things that Mina didn’t care for.

It was around one in the morning when Mina woke and discovered Steve wasn’t beside her in the bed.  She slowly rolled out of bed, still half asleep, and made her way to the living room where the logo for the TV was bouncing back and forth.

Steve was snoring softly on the couch.  Mina stood there for a moment just watching him, conflicted on if she wanted to wake him and disturb him.  He looked so peaceful lying there. 

Grabbing the blanket off the back of the couch she threw it over him before returning to bed.  Steve woke shortly after that feeling the strange weight on him from the blanket and knew that Mina had found him lying there asleep.

Slowly he got up and went to bed, pulling Mina into his arms and burying his face in her neck.  “G’night, Stevie,” she murmured sleepily.

“Goodnight, doll.” 

  
  



	29. Chapter 29

Mina pulled the car up to the home where Mina Barnes-Gaspari lived.  It was a quaint, little home with light blue siding, and navy blue shutters.  The front yard was one large garden with winding pathways and an array of colorful flowers.  The front porch had a swing where Mina was sitting waiting for her guests. Nico had called ahead for Steve and Mina to let the other Mina know that they were coming.

As Mina moved closer she saw that her namesake had white hair and blue eyes like Bucky’s had been.  She smiled, “You must be Steve and Mina.” She slowly stood, leaning on a cane. “It’s so wonderful to finally meet the people my momma talked so highly about.”  She held open her arms and Mina hugged her. “Sit, please.”

Mina took a seat beside her namesake, “Is there something that we can call you other than Mina?  It’s just a little odd using your own name.”

Mina nodded and gave her a smile, “Mini, Momma used to call me Mini when I was a child.”

“Mini, I like it,” Mina smiled.

“I must admit it is odd to see the two of you before me.  It’s almost like I’m being visited by ghosts,” Mini said with a laugh.  “I’ve seen pictures of the two of you. Momma had a lot of pictures with Uncle Bucky and you together, she said she took them in secret.”  She grabbed a box from beside her and handed them over. “Momma always said you were the best thing that ever happened to her brother.”

Mina gently lifted the lid on the little wooden box carved with her names.  She gently picked up the black and white photos that had come from Rebecca’s camera.  She remembered seeing the flash each time, Bucky would yell at his sister and shoo her off.  Mina could still hear Rebecca's laughter as she bound up the stairs away from her brother. “Becs used to love taking photos of us together because she knew it annoyed Bucky,” Mina chuckled.  “I never knew she had taken so many photos of us though.”

There were some of her and Bucky walking down the street together hand in hand, then there were some of them at the ice cream shop that she and Steve had visited weeks prior.  There were even a few of her and Bucky at Rebecca’s wedding. She saw some of Steve and Bucky, Mina smiled at the memory of pre-serum Steve. He wasn’t much different from then, just bigger.

Mina passed those photos over to Steve who smiled at them.  “Becs always did have a talent for taking photos,” he commented.

“Momma became a photojournalist,” Mini said.  “She was good too, she worked for the _Times._  Grandma used to argue with Momma in the early days of her career, but she was proud of Momma when her career finally took off.”

“You mother was a special lady,” Mina looked over at Mini.  “And your uncle was a wonderful man. They may have fought and argued a lot, but they loved one another.  When your uncle Bucky died I worried that your family would hate me, blame me for not protecting Bucky.” Mina looked down in shame, still not quite over the fact that she hadn’t been there to protect Bucky that day.

“They never blamed you for not protecting Uncle Bucky.  They worried about you, and they told me learning you and Steve had been thought to have been killed in action so soon after Uncle Bucky’s death tore them apart.  It was like they lost two more children.”

Steve and Mina had glanced at one another, it pained them to know that their supposed deaths had brought more heartache.  Mini could see that it troubled them so she changed the subject.  The three of them sat there and talked longer about other more happier things.  They learned that Mini had been a writer and wrote stories based off stories that Rebecca had told her about Steve, Mina, and Bucky.  She said that Rebecca had thought of them like the three Musketeers.

It was a little bittersweet saying goodbye to Mini, but Mina promised to call and visit anytime she came back to New York from D.C..  

Mini was looking forward to their phone calls and future visits.  She insisted that Steve and Mina take the photos, she said that they were of them so they should have them.  She had made copies a long time ago and wanted them to have something to remember the past by.

Mina had given Mini a long hug and waved goodbye from the car window before pulling away.  Steve was quiet for a little while and then said, “She’s like Becs. All fire and heart.”

Mina smiled, “She’s got the Barnes’s charm that’s for sure.”

“And the Gaspari wit,” he grinned at her.

Mina snorted, “A dangerous combination in one person.  I would have loved to have seen her as a child.”

“Are you glad you came to see her?”  Steve glanced over at her and noticed the soft smile on her face, a content look that he had seen very rarely since waking up.

“I am, Mini was a delight and it was nice to hear about Becs from someone who had actually known her.”  She had only read about what had happened to Rebecca through the files that Fury had given her and Steve on everyone that they had known before going into the ice.  Actually hearing how Rebecca’s life had gone after the war had been wonderful.

The two of them remained quiet on the rest of the ride home.  Steve thumbing through the photos he hadn’t gotten a chance to look at when they had been with Mini.  He smiled at a few of Mina and Bucky together. Especially one where Mina looked annoyed and Bucky looked like he was trying to get her to smile.  He could practically remember the day that had been taken.

_“Doll,” Bucky had whined as Mina turned her head away from him, a pouty look on her face.  “Come on, I didn’t mean it.”_

_Mina narrowed her eyes but kept her gaze focused on the wall in front of her.  Rebecca and Steve were chuckling at Bucky begging Mina to look at him. Rebecca held up her camera and snapped the photo.  Neither Bucky nor Mina seemed startled by the flash of light at this point. They knew Rebecca liked to snap photos of them at random times and it no longer bothered either of them._

_“Apologies won’t work, James,” she used his first name which told him he was in deep trouble._

_He kissed her shoulder, a very forward display of affection, but neither Steve nor Rebecca cared.  “I’m sorry I ate at another pizza joint, doll. But I didn’t really have a choice! The guys from work took me there, said it was the best pizza in Brooklyn.”_

_Mina’s eyes narrowed and she turned her head slowly toward Bucky, “And was it?”_

_“Say no, Buck,” Steve murmured under his breath.  Rebecca had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from giggling out loud._

_Bucky shifted uncomfortably, “Well it wasn’t bad…”_

_Mina stood, “James Buchanan Barnes, how dare you cheat on my family’s restaurant with those hacks across town!  They wouldn't know good pizza if it bit them on their rear end!_ _”  She turned and stormed out._

_Bucky scrambled after her, shouting her name, apologies spilling from his lips as he went.  Steve knew Mina was just giving him a hard time. She would forgive him the moment he caught up to her and began to pepper her face with kisses._

Steve was drawn out of the memory by Mina throwing the car in park and unbuckling.  She looked over at Steve and smiled, “What?”

He shook his head, setting the photo back in the box, “Nothing, just remembering the past is all.”

She leaned over and kissed his cheek before getting out of the car and heading up to their apartment to finish getting things ready before they left the following week.

It wasn’t until later that night that Steve pulled Mina into his arms and admitted to her how he really felt.  “Mina, today, seeing Mini, and reliving the past brought back a lot of memories for me, and there’s something I want you to know.”  She looked up at him, her heart hammering as she guessed what he was about to say to her. “Mina, I love you. I always have been in love with you, from the moment you came out and helped me get cleaned up after that fight. I fell in love with you, and it killed me that I could never be the man you deserved. But now I feel like I can finally give you all the things you deserve and I just want you to be happy, that’s all I’ve ever wanted, doll.  For you to be happy.”

Mina’s smile made Steve feel like he was going to melt into a puddle.  “Oh Stevie, that has got to be the stupidest reason for not telling me that you loved me back then.  Did you really think so little of yourself that you thought you couldn’t make me happy?” He looked away from her, but she gently moved his head so he was looking her in the eyes again.  “If things had been different I’m sure you could have made me just as happy as Bucky did. It kills me that you thought so little of yourself. But Steve, I love you too, and if the serum stopped working tomorrow and you reverted back to who you were before the serum I would still love you.  Big or small you are a kind, caring man, and I would be honored to call you mine.”

He captured her lips with his.  “I love you,” he murmured in between kisses causing Mina to giggle affectionately.

“I love you too, Stevie,” she whispered back.

 

**Six Months Later**

Mina moved through the crowd with her head held high.  Her floor-length black dress had a slit up the side so high it exposed most of her leg.  She felt a set of eyes on her and grinned knowing exactly who was watching her.

“Eyes on the prize, Captain,” she purred low enough so that only she and Steve would be able to hear.  “We’ve got a job to do.”

“I can’t help it, doll.  Natasha, did you have to choose _that_ dress?”  Steve growled.

Laughter filled the comms and Natasha said, “Oh yes I did.  She needs to capture Erik Strauss’s attention and _that_ dress will most certainly do the trick.”

“I hate you,” Mina could practically see Steve’s frowning face now.

She hid her smile behind a champagne flute, “Behave you two, this is the first event he’s attended in a month and I would like to get this over with so I can go home and take a bubble bath.”

“Do you have room for one more, doll?”  Steve asked cheekily knowing he was going to hear it front Natasha.

“Could the two of you not flirt on the comms, I’d like to keep my dinner down.”  Mina heard Steve’s chuckle and she knew he had gotten the reaction he had wanted out of her.

“Agent Romanoff, Captain Rogers, and Agent Gaspari would the three of you like to focus on the mission at hand?”  Fury was monitoring their movements from the S.H.I.E.L.D. building not far from where they were. He had opted to come along for this particular mission since Strauss had evaded capture for several months now.  He wanted to personally question the arms dealer when he was brought in.

“Yes, Sir,” they all parroted.

Mina’s eyes went back to scanning the crowd for Strauss, but he hadn’t shown up yet.  The crowd was getting more and more lively with each drink that was poured. Mina continued to sip on the one she had been offered the moment she walked through the door.  “Any sign of Strauss?” She asked Steve.

“None, he should be here soon, our intel was rock solid,” came his response.

“Let me know the moment you spot him,” she murmured.

It took another fifteen minutes, but Natasha said a new vehicle had pulled up in front of the hotel where the gala was being held.  “Mina, he’s closest to you, act now.”

Mina moved through the crowd and accidentally stumbled over her feet and crashed into Strauss, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry sir.”  Her champagne went all over his shirt. “These stupid heels keep getting caught in my dress,” she gazed up at him through her lashes and batted them softly.

Strauss smiled at her, the kind that sent shivers down her spine, “No worries, darling.  It was merely an accident.”

She gave him a relieved smile, “Let me get you a drink as an apology.”

“That would be lovely, a scotch on the rocks,” he had a hungry look in his eyes, one that made Mina want to gag.

She nodded and moved back through the crowd toward the bar, she could feel both Steve’s and Strauss’s eyes on her as she went.  “Please tell me the room upstairs is ready for extraction,” Mina said into her comms.

“It is, just keep him enticed enough to invite him up to your room,” Natasha replied.

Mina ordered a scotch on the rocks and waited as the bartender made the drink.  She glanced behind her and noticed that Strauss’s eyes hadn’t left her body, she smiled letting him know she liked that he was still watching her and turned back as the bartender handed the drink over.

“It’s game time, boys and girls,” Mina whispered as she plastered a sultry smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited for you all to see where this story goes. It's gonna vary from the movies at this point, but I can't say more than that without giving too much away. We're moving into Winter Soldier territory now. Also, I'm bumping updates down to once a week for now because I'm falling behind on writing this one (life has been crazy lately). But don't worry once I get some more chapters written it'll be back up to two times a week.


	30. Chapter 30

Mina and Strauss stumbled into the room where the extraction would take place.  The room was dark, but Mina managed to flick on a couple of lights as she passed the switches.  Her eyes flitted around the room wondering where the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were hiding at.  Mina turned her attention back to Strauss and giggled as she tugged on Strauss’s tie, pulling him farther into the room toward the bedroom. His hands were on her ass as she moved backward toward the bed.  “You have been driving me insane all night, darling,” he growled in her ear before he tugged on it with his teeth.

The act made her want to gag, he was too rough and all hands.  He didn’t send shivers down her spine like Steve or Bucky. “How else was I supposed to entice you back to my room?” She simpered.  She turned them around and shoved him down on the bed. He grinned up at her clearly liking where this was going, he could see the lust in his eyes.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he breathed.

She smirked, oh this next part was going to be sweet, sweet justice.  “Not your death, but your arrest yes.”   He looked confused for a moment before S.H.I.E.L.D. agents entered the room, their guns raised.  “Erik Strauss you are under arrest for the illegal distribution of weapons to enemies of the United Nations.”

“You little whore!”  Anger replaced the look of lust on his face, it was as if a switch had been flipped.  “I’m gonna kill you!”

Steve stepped up beside Mina, he was glaring at Strauss as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents forced him on his knees and put him in cuffs, “You won’t be able to touch her where you’re going, Strauss.”

Mina chortled, “Don’t go all alpha male on me now, Captain.”

He shot her a look, “Come on, we have reports to write.”

Mina gave Strauss a jaunty little wave, he was still cussing her out for all he was worth.  “Well that was fun,” Natasha said as they entered the van she was waiting in. Mina let out a soft moan as she removed the heels from her feet.  “Rogers, the look on your face when they started dancing together.”

Mina looked at Steve as she massaged her sore feet, “Were you jealous, Stevie?”

“No,” he pouted.

Mina leaned over and gave him a peck on the lips, “You were, come on, you know I only have eyes for you.”

“Yeah it’s a little sickening how cute the two of you are together,” Natasha chimed in.  “Clint says the two of you are like lovesick teenagers.”

“We are not,” Steve and Mina said together.

Natasha pulled the van up outside of the S.H.I.E.L.D. building in Chicago.  They would be flying back to D.C. the following day. “Let’s go file the reports so we can get back to our hotel,” Natasha said as she jumped out of the van and stretched her arms above her head.

Fury met them inside, “Good work you three, you’ve managed to do something that even the most skilled agents haven’t been able to accomplish in the years we’ve been trying to capture Strauss.”

“All in a day’s work,” Mina told him as she padded over to where he was standing to accept the paperwork from him.  “I’ll be in one of the conference rooms trying to finish this before heading back to the hotel to sleep until it’s time to head home tomorrow.”  She yawned and made her way toward the elevators with Natasha and Steve trailing after her. Truth be told she actually enjoyed her work, there was a thrill to it that she had come to crave, and getting to travel was an added bonus.

The three of them sat in silence as they filled out the paperwork to turn into Fury.  It was well past midnight before they were finished and it was one before she managed to slip into the comfortable hotel bed with Steve laying beside her.

It had been six months since they had left New York and yeah she missed it, but she was glad that she and Steve had decided to do this.  She liked keeping the world safe from dangers like Strauss and the Chitauri.  Plus saving the day was better than sitting at home reading or finding a mundane job to go into day in and day out.  Maybe getting back into the hero business wasn't a bad thing after all.

 

A few days after getting back to D.C. Steve asked for a few days off, Fury had no problems with giving the two a break, plus it helped that there were no pressing missions as the moment.  He and Mina headed to the little house they stayed at when they didn’t want to be in the hustle and bustle of the city.  Fury had set the space up for them when they wanted to be away from everything, somewhere where they wouldn't be disturbed.

“They’re opening the Captain America exhibit tomorrow,” she told Steve as she made them breakfast.  “They want us there.”

Steve sighed, “Do we have too?”

She turned around and grinned at him.  He looked like he would rather be doing anything other than going to a function in his honor.  “You sound like a whiny child, come on it could be fun.”

“Maybe I am a whiny child,” he said.  “Plus can you honestly tell me that you want to relive all that in front of people we don't know?”

She bit her lip, no she didn’t want to relive all of that in front of people, but they were holding the opening in their honor.  “There’s gonna be a gala, I’ll dress up in that dress I wore to catch Strauss.” She ran her hand up his chest, “You can actually dance with me this time.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his face in her neck, “Fine,” he mumbled against her skin.  “We can go.”

“Good,” she kissed his temple and then pried his arms off of her so she could finish breakfast.

 

Alexander Pierce strode down the dimly lit hallway, a group of guards flanking him as he went.  “Has he been woken up?” He questioned Brock Rumlow, head of the S.T.R.I.K.E. unit for S.H.I.E.L.D..

“Yes, sir.  He’ll be waiting for us when we arrive,” Rumlow responded.

Pierce was pleased to hear this and he quickened his step.  He pushed the door open that led to the room where the Winter Soldier was being held.  Guards were posted around the room in case he couldn’t be controlled.  Sometimes the Winter Soldier could be unpredictable and it would take all the manpower they could get to stop him from killing everyone in the room.

Pierce stared into the unblinking eyes of the man before him, a shell of a man that was just waiting for his next orders to be given before going back into cryo.  He was HYDRA’s greatest weapon and their greatest secret. People believed that HYDRA had died with the Red Skull, but that wasn’t true. HYDRA was still around and thriving.  They were even about to start the next step in controlling the world.

“Good morning, Soldier,” Pierce said.  The Winter Soldier looked up at Pierce, still no emotion in his eyes, not even hatred.  He was too far gone to even care anymore. “I have a new mission for you.” He handed over a file.  “I need you to watch a woman, her name is Mina Gaspari.”

The Winter Soldier open the folder and stared at the woman before him.  It was her. The woman from his dreams. He didn’t let any emotions show, no signs of recognition.  He knew what they would do to him if he did, he had grown used to it by now.

He didn’t want to lose the image of the woman, the angel in his dreams.  He couldn't lose the image of her.  “What’s my mission?” He asked evenly.

“I want you to observe Miss Gaspari, keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble,” Pierce told him.

“Am I to kill her?”  Everything inside him that still fought for control screamed at him not to kill the woman, to let this one live.

“Not yet,” Pierce responded.  “Just watch her for now, she's not currently a threat, but she could become one.” 

If Pierce had known the truth about the relationship that Mina Gaspari had had with the Winter Soldier he would have never given him the assignment, but this would be the downfall of the Winter Soldier, and no one would see it coming. 

 

Mina stuck the diamond studs through her ears, they had a been a gift from Mini.  They had arrived via mail with a letter from the woman as well.

_ Dear Mina, _

_ I hope D.C. is treating you well and that you’re happy there.  I look forward to your next visit and please bring Steven with you, he’s even more handsome in person and I could use some excitement in my life, Lord knows I need it. _

_ I found these in my things when I was going through some old boxes and thought I would send them to you.  They belonged to your mother. There are a lot of things from your parents in here. The kids and I are putting a box together for you, things we think you ought to have back now that you’re still alive. _

_ Wear them on a special occasion with Steven.  And do try not to get into too much trouble while you’re away.  I know being a hero can be a dangerous job, but I would like to get to speak to you more before my time comes as well. _

_ See you soon. _

_ All my love, _

_ Mini _

“Are those the earrings that Mini sent to you?” Steve came out of the bathroom tying his tie.

“They are, she said to wear them on a special occasion and what better one than this?”  She finished and walked over to straighten Steve’s tie.  “You look handsome, Captain Rogers.”

He gave her a lopsided grin, “You don’t look to bad yourself, doll.”  His finger trailed up her exposed thigh, “Can we be late?”

She smirked, “No, that can wait until we get home.  I don’t want you messing up my makeup.”

“Fine, but just know I’m going to have fun teasing you throughout the night.”  He placed a kiss to her cheek and slipped out of the room. Mina wondered what he had planned for the night.

The first thing he did was in the car on the way to the Smithsonian.  She was in the passenger’s seat looking out the windshield at the darkening city when she felt Steve’s hand push her dress to the side and laid his hand on her exposed leg.   At first she thought nothing of it, then his thumb started stroking her leg.  She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning and she tried her hardest not to squirm so she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he was affecting her slightly.

When they arrived at the Smithsonian cameras were going off as senators, governors, celebrities, and other famous people got out of their cars.  Steve paused before pushing his door open. He could already hear the paparazzi calling out for him to look their way, but he wasn’t focused on them.

He rounded the car to Mina’s side and opened her door, his hand outstretched she took it and stepped out into the blinding flashes of light.  The two of them made their way down the red carpet, barely pausing for photos like the others. Neither of them wanted to be in the spotlight for long.

Natasha was inside with Clint, Bruce, and Tony.  The four of them cheered when they saw the pair heading their way.  Natasha and Mina embraced and Natasha whispered, “Someone’s trying to entice the Captain tonight.”

Mina pulled away and grinned, “You have no idea.”

Tony clapped Steve on the shoulder, “Glad you could make it, Cap.  Wouldn’t be a party without the man of the hour.”

Steve looked around the room they were all waiting in.  It was part of the main museum with other artifacts from eras long past.  “I wasn’t going to come, but someone was insistent,” Steve looked down at Mina who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

“I love a chance to party,” she said with a shrug.

The four of them talked a bit longer with people coming over and talking to Steve and sometimes to the others.  Steve kept his hand on the small of Mina’s back the entire time, a forced smile on his face. Mina was feeling a little guilty about making him come, but she thought that this would be good for the two of them.  Therapeutic in a way.

She went to say something to Steve but was interrupted by the curator of the museum getting up on a podium in front of everyone and saying, “I would like to thank all of you for coming.  We are are to celebrate Captain America and all he risked for us back during World War II. We are lucky enough to have the man of the hour here himself.” People turned to look at Steve, and Mina saw his cheeks heating slightly.  “I think it is only fair that Captain Rogers get the first look at the exhibit. Captain Rogers, you and your friends may enter the exhibit now.”

Steve felt like his feet were cinder blocks as he moved through the crowd, the people parting slightly as their small group came forward.  Mina’s hand slipped into his and the two of them entered the exhibit together.


	31. Chapter 31

Steve and Mina were greeted by a mural painted of Steve in his original uniform saluting with an American flag behind him.  Then of pictures of him before the serum, during his training, and then after.   There was an interaction section to see if you were as tall as pre-serum Steve or after the serum.  Natasha, Clint, Bruce, and Tony moved behind the two of them quietly looking at the images. Tony was even greeted with one of Steve and his dad on the day that Steve had been given his shield, he thought he even spied Mina in the background, but he couldn’t be sure.

The next thing they knew they were in an open space filled with artifacts.  Steve’s original motorcycle, his old propaganda movies. Mina’s breath stuttered when she saw the mural of the Howling Commandos.  Bucky painted on Steve’s left. 

Each of the mannequins were wearing the costumes of the Howling Commandos, replicas.  Mina was only sure of this because the outfit on Bucky’s mannequin was the outfit he had been wearing when he fell from the train, and his body had never been found.

Natasha stepped up beside Mina as she saw her friend gazing up at the image of James Barnes, “You okay?”

Mina nodded, “I’m fine.  It’s just… weird seeing them all again like this.”  She turned her head so she was looking at Natasha, the other woman didn’t look like she believed her.  “I’m fine, really. I’ve had a lot of time to overcome all of this.”

She moved on to a section dedicated to Bucky.  She watched the film of him and Steve together, a soft smile on her face seeing the two of them laughing with one another.  She had been there that day. Tony stood next to her now, “So this is Rogers’s best friend?”

“Bucky,” she said, her voice soft.  “He and Steve were thick as thieves back in the day.  We rescued Bucky after he had been captured by HYDRA. He was the only Howling Commando that didn’t make it out alive.”

On the other side of the exhibit, Steve was looking at an image of Peggy.  He couldn’t go into the little movie theater they had. He could already hear her voice, but it was too hard.  He wasn’t ready for that yet.

Slowly more and more people trickled in to the room and began to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over the exhibit.  The others slowly left the room to give the others space to see everything. Steve gravitated toward Mina, “You okay?” 

“I should be asking you that,” she responded.   Her arms went around his waist as she held him, “All that stuff, it was of you and the other Howling Commandos.  I know that couldn’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t, but I’m all right.  It was nice to see them all again.”  He pressed a lingering kiss to her temple before the others started filing back out of the exhibit.  “You ready to go? The thing is basically over now.”

“Yeah, let’s just say goodbye to the others and then we can home.”  She tugged him over to their new found friends in this time. They were hanging back to give the two of them space and told them goodbye and that they would talk soon.

 

The Winter Soldier stood in the alley across the street from the museum where they were holding an event for a man named Captain America.  His eyes scanned the crowd looking for the woman he had been sent to watch.

She was standing next to Captain America, her arms wrapped around him holding him close.  The Winter Soldier watched as the man kissed her temple, jealousy burning through him at how casual they were with one another.  

The two of them moved over to a smaller group of people, he recognized the red haired woman, he had seen her before on one of his missions.  She worked at S.H.I.E.L.D. and was a spy for them. One man was Bruce Banner a renowned scientist that turned into a monster when he was angry.  And lastly, Tony Stark, the Iron Man.

He continued to watch as the two of them left, the valet rushing to get their car.  The paparazzi were still there, snapping photos and asking for them to look their way.  Neither of them did, they kept their heads down as they waited for their ride to be brought to them.   When it was, the man opened the door for Mina and closed it once she was safely tucked inside.  As they began to drive away the Winter Soldier started his motorcycle and began to follow the two of them to their home.  He hung back far enough so that they wouldn’t realize that they had a tail.

Once they were inside he moved closer and peered in through the window.  The two of them were in the living room together, the man knelt down at her feet taking off her heels, when the last one had been discarded on the floor the man began kissing her exposed leg.  He slowly moved up until she tugged him up and crashed her lips against his in a heated kiss.

The man picked her up, her legs instantly wrapping around his waist as he carried her down the hall toward their shared room where he lost sight of them.  The Winter Soldier stood there frozen for a moment, his heart thundering in his chest.

The memory hit him like a ton of bricks.

_ He watched as a woman strode away from him and he instantly knew that it was Mina.  He could tell by the hair and the way she carried herself. It was the same as in his dreams.  “God, I love that woman,” he had said with a chuckle. _

_ “Yeah laugh it up,” the man that had just been kissing Mina lightly shoved his shoulder.  “Wait until she sees what you’re carrying.” _

_ “Hey, I have a gun thank you very much,” he replied. _

_ “She’ll wish you had a shield,” the man shot back. _

_ “My girl knows I can take care of myself.  You on the other hand she knows has a knack for getting into sticky situations.” _

_ The man shook his head, looking slightly exasperated.  “I’ll be fine.” _

The Winter Soldier stumbled backward, his breathing ragged.

What. The. Hell. Was. That?

 

Mina spent the next day in the city with Natasha.  The two of them were shopping together before their next assignment.  Fury was already talking about sending the two of them undercover to a gentlemen’s club that was a front for the mafia.

“How did last night go?”  Natasha asked as she looked at a bodycon dress, Mina envied her confidence.  She still wasn’t comfortable wearing some of the clothing styles that seemed to be popular now.  Mina couldn’t hide her grin as she recalled the events of the night before. Her cheeks heated at the feline-like grin that Natasha sent her way.  “Spill!”

Mina picked up a skirt that she thought was pretty, it was black with bright floral designs on it, “I don’t know what to say?”

“Well is he good?  You know he has this goody two shoes look about him, like he’s too pure to know how to please a woman, but that could all be a front.”

“I’ve only ever been with two men, I don’t know what you would consider good,” Mina said a bit shyly.  She knew talking about sex was something that was common now, but she was still embarrassed to talk about stuff like this, even with someone she trusted like Natasha.  

“Does he make your toes curl?  Do you need a minute after all is said and done to come down from that high?”  Natasha rested her hand on the clothing rack.

Mina’s mind drifted back to the night before.  The images of Steve teasing her with his tongue causing her back to arch off the bed caused her to blush and clear her throat, “Uh maybe.”

“Lucky, lucky girl,” Natasha purred before moving on from the section they were in.

They continued to shop for a few more hours before they both went their separate ways.  Mina headed to the store to get some things for dinner that night. She thought about making pizza for Steve, but settled on steaks for the two of them.  She turned to go get ingredients for a cake when she froze.

There at the other end of the aisle was a man.  His hair was at his shoulders, but she would know him anywhere.  “Bucky?” At the sound of her voice he turned and disappeared. Mina went chasing after him.  “Bucky wait!” She called out before she reached the end of the aisle.

When she did she stopped, she saw no signs of him anywhere.  She shook her head and berated herself for being so stupid. Of course, she hadn’t seen Bucky, he was dead.  But something in the back of her mind told her that she was supposed to be dead as well and that HYDRA had experimented on him when he had been captured.

 

“Peggy, I’m telling you I saw Bucky,” Mina sat beside Peggy’s bed.  Today was one of Peggy’s good days when she remembered things. She was watching Mina from her potion.  “He was standing at the end of the aisle, and sure his hair was a bit longer, but it was him. I know it, I would know him anywhere.”

Peggy gave her a pitying look, she knew how much her friend missed her former lover, “Are you sure it wasn’t just a figment of your imagination?  You had just gone to that new exhibit they have on Steve and the others.”

Mina shook her head, “He was there, I can feel it in my bones.  Plus if he was a figment of my imagination then why was he in modern day clothes and not looking like he did when he was still alive in the forties?”

“Then you have to find him,” Peggy told her.  “Go to someone you trust and tell them you’re hunting down a ghost.  If there’s even a chance that he’s still alive--”

“I have to find him,” Mina finished.  “But my only thing is why did he run? If it was Bucky wouldn’t he have tried to talk to me at least?”

Peggy was quiet as she thought her friend’s question over, “I don’t know.  That’s why you look into it. Who knows what happened to Bucky after his fall.  Maybe something happened to him.”

Mina nodded and considered Peggy’s words.  “Thank you, Peggy. I knew you would understand.  I can’t take this to Steve, he’s lost so much as it is.  If he thinks that I’m hunting down his best friend that was supposed to be dead what will that do to him?”  It had been a few days since Mina had thought she’d seen Bucky, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell Steve.

“Tell him when you’re ready, and only when you’re ready,” Peggy said.  “And tell him to come and see me more. He visits so little and it’s nice to have him back.”

Mina smiled and stood, brushing her lips against Peggy’s forehead.  “I will, Peggy. Get some rest, I’ll be back in a few days to see you again.”

Mina left the nursing home and went straight to the S.H.I.E.L.D. building and up to Fury’s office.  She knocked on the door and waited until Fury granted her access. “What do I owe the visit to, Agent Gaspari?”

“Sir, I want your permission to go looking for someone,” she handed over a picture of Bucky, it was one of him in his old uniform.

Fury furrowed his brow, “James Barnes?  He’s dead, Agent.”

Mina took the photo back, “I’m well aware of that sir, but the other day… I don’t know, I saw him.  I was at the grocery store and there he was. There was something off about the whole situation. I don’t think he actually died that day, sir.  I want to look for him, see if I can find him anywhere.”

Fury was quiet, “Why?”

“Because ever since they told me that Bucky had died in action something has felt off.  Seeing him, or thinking that I saw him, has only made that feeling stronger. Something is odd about this whole situation.  HYDRA ran experiments on him when they had him as a POA. What if he survived the fall? What if he’s something else now?”

“Like Steve?”  Fury filled in.

“Like Steve,” Mina responded.  “Give me time to research this, sir.  I’ll still run other missions and in my free time I’ll look into this.  But give me the resources I need to run this down, as discreetly as I can.  I don’t want anyone but the two of us to know about this.”

Fury nodded, “All right, I’ll allow it.  But if it gets in the way of your other responsibilities I’ll pull the plug, Agent.”

She nodded, “Thank you, sir.”

“I’m guessing since Rogers isn’t here with you he doesn’t know you suspect that his best friend is still alive.”

“You would be correct and I would like it to stay that way,” she told him.

“Granted, is that all?”

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

“Good luck, Agent Gaspari.”

She turned on her heel and left his office.  She was going to have to be careful about this.  Something in her gut told her that she shouldn’t use S.H.I.E.L.D. resources to look into this.  She was on her own.

She stepped into the sunlight and glanced around the area.  S.H.I.E.L.D. agents milled around, talking to one another, texting on their phones, or just enjoying their lunch break in the sun for once.

She headed for her car and tried to decide where the best place to start was.


	32. Chapter 32

**A Year and a Half Later**

The Winter Soldier stood a good distance away from the home on the outskirts of the city where Mina and Steve lived when they weren’t needed at S.H.I.E.L.D..  She was there alone at the moment, boxes and papers scattered out in front of her. She was researching something, but he hadn’t been able to figure that out yet.  He couldn’t get close enough to see what she was looking into.

It had been almost two years and he was still watching her, keeping tabs on her.  There had been a few times when she had caught him, the look of recognition in her eyes sent shivers down his spine.  She always called him Bucky like she did in his dreams.  Never once afraid of him.

Being this close to her went against his orders in a sense.  He was getting attached to the beautiful woman before him, in all the ways he knew he wasn’t allowed to.  Feelings he hadn’t realized he could feel stirred deep inside him. He felt at peace when he was near her like everything would be all right.

Without thinking he moved closer so that he was standing directly in front of the window that peered into the kitchen slash dining room.  Her eyes were still fixed on a piece of paper, it looked like a photo from this distance and he realized it was a photo of a soldier. Then he realized it looked like him, just with shorter hair.

His gaze went from the photo to her face and he noticed a wetness on her cheeks, and all he wanted to do was wipe it away with his thumbs and tell her things were okay.  He shouldn’t feel like that, but he couldn’t help it.

Not when it came to her.

 

Steve had been away on a mission with Natasha and the S.T.R.I.K.E. group.  Fury had asked if she had wanted to tag along to help with the pirates that had hijacked the ship, but she declined.  Fury understood, she wanted to work on her own mission and she didn’t need to be there for this one if he was being completely honest.  Steve had made it back the night before, but had decided to stay in the city in case the others needed him for anything.  

Mina was sitting in her and Steve’s home with all the files she had found on Bucky spread out in front of her.  She rubbed her chin as she looked over the files she had amassed in the past year and a half.  All the papers were scattered across the kitchen table. All she needed was a red string and all the papers tacked up on the wall and she could be considered a conspiracy theorist.

She had found very little on Bucky and had just started to give up hope when she came across something about a man named “The Winter Soldier”.  He was a ghost story amongst most people in the intelligence community. Some didn’t even believe he existed, more like a ghost story than anything else.

He was said to have a metal arm, super strength and speed, and he could go unnoticed by people.  Similar abilities that Steve had. “Could this actually be you?” Mina murmured as she stared at a blurry photo of the supposed Winter Soldier.

If the Winter Soldier was Bucky then that meant that he had had a hand in over a dozen assassinations, if not more.  Bucky wouldn’t do that though, not unless he had been brainwashed into doing it.

But then there was the fact that he had fallen from the train over seventy years ago.  They had never recovered his body, no one thought that they would be able to find it in the ravine.  She ran her hand through her hair as she considered the chances of his survival.

She moved some papers around and found the photo of Bucky from the forties.  It was his army photo, his hair neatly trimmed and under his hat. There was a light behind his eyes and she knew he would be smiling if they had allowed him to.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been staring at the photo, but she sensed someone watching her.  She had that feeling a lot lately, and she knew it meant he was here. She turned her head toward the window and saw him peering in, the soft light from the sink illuminating his face.  She should have been afraid, if he really was the Winter Soldier then he was dangerous, but this was Bucky she was talking about. He would never hurt her.

He went to move away and she bolted for the door.  “Wait!” She cried into the darkness, his silhouette the only thing she could make out in the darkness.  “Come here….”

He felt compelled and he remembered her abilities, she could control people with her voice.  He turned and walked back to her, he didn’t sense danger. In fact, he felt comfortable, he knew she wouldn’t hurt him.

He stopped in front of her and one of her hands crept up to her mouth, she knew she hadn’t been seeing things, that he had been there all along.  “Bucky?” He didn’t say anything, he just looked at her with a blank look. She couldn’t believe that she was seeing him standing before her with her own two eyes.  She reached up to touch his face, he flinched away from her and she paused. “Oh Bucky, what happened to you?”

He heard the brokenness in her voice, saw the sadness in her eyes and he felt like reaching out and comforting her.  “Who are you?” His voice was a bit gruffer than she remembered it, but there was no denying that this was Bucky.

She hesitated, but she rested her hand on his face, he flinched but then relaxed at her soft touch.  He couldn’t remember the last time he had been touched so gently by another human being. “I’ll kill them,” she murmured, a strength to her voice that told him she was serious.  “I’ll kill whoever did this to you.”

“Who are you?”  He repeated the question again.  How did she know him? This beguiling woman who had touched him so gently.

“My name is Mina, we know one another.”  She fought the urge to pull him into her arms and hug him tightly, she didn’t want to scare him or trigger him in any way.

“I don’t know you,” he told her.

Tears filled her eyes, “I love you, James Buchanan Barnes, and I swear to God that I will fix this.”  She removed her hand from his face and she saw a flash of panic in his eyes. Slowly she reached out again and took his flesh hand in hers, she noticed a glove on his other.  “Come with me,” she instructed softly, not using her powers.  She didn't want him to feel forced into doing anything.

He noted that she didn’t use her powers this time, she wasn’t forcing him to come with her.  He could leave, but he didn’t want to. He followed her inside and she led him to the couch where he sat down, she was beside him, her hand still entwined with his.  “How do you know me?” He asked.

“We loved one another,” she said softly.  “During the war.”

He furrowed his brows, he couldn’t remember fighting a war.  Flashes of a train went through his head. “War?”

“World War II,” she answered patiently, no frustration to be heard in her tone.  “You were a soldier in the war.”

Her floral perfume filled his nose and more memories flooded his mind.  His thumb stroked her hand, she was soft to the touch. He remembered how she had felt underneath him.  Her hair between his fingers. “Mina,” he tested her name on his lips.

“Yes, I’m Mina,” he looked up to see a soft smile on her face.

He was shocked at how she beamed at him, happiness simmering in her turquoise eyes.  He wanted to reach out and stroke her cheek, but he held back. He shouldn't be there.  He was supposed to be watching her not sitting there with her. “I need to leave.” The panicked look in her eyes scared him.

“Please don’t go,” she begged.  Tears filled her eyes, “I just got you back.  Don’t leave me, not again.” He acted on instinct and pulled her into his arms.  She buried her face into his chest, “Please don’t leave me, Buck.”

“Mina,” he said in a soft voice.  “I have to go.”

She pulled away shaking her head, “No.  I can keep you safe, I can help you. Please stay.”  He knew that she wasn’t going to let him go. He slowly pulled a syringe out of his pocket and stuck it in her leg.  She looked down in shock, “Bucky?” He pushed the substance into her leg. “Please,” she begged one last time before she passed out in his arms.

He gently picked her up and carried her back to one of the bedrooms.  He assumed it was her and Steve’s since it had more personal touches to it than the other room.  He laid her down on the bed and watched her for a moment. Guilt clawed its way through his system before he turned and left her home.  Forcing himself back to his handlers.

 

Mina woke feeling groggy and disoriented.  She wasn’t sure where she was for a moment.  All she remembered was Bucky sticking the syringe in her leg and her passing out on him.  For a brief moment fear coursed through her as she wondered if he had kidnapped her. But then she realized she was in her and Steve’s bedroom at their home.

“Bucky?”  She called out, though she had a feeling that he wasn’t there.  He had left.

Sadness replaced her fear, but then she sat up a bit straighter.  She hadn’t hallucinated that. He had been there. She had felt his warmth, touched him.  He was alive, and that made her happier than anything in the world.

Grabbing her phone to see what time it was she saw she had a few missed messages from Steve and Natasha.  She never checked her phone when she was looking for information on Bucky and she realized she had missed messages from the day before.

 **Steve:** Staying at the apartment tonight.  Come join me if you want. Love you.

 **Steve:** Fury’s been shot.

 **Natasha:** Where are you?  We need you. Fury’s dead.

Mina froze as she looked at the messages.  They happened just a few hours after she had been with Bucky.  She called Steve, but he didn’t answer. She began to pace in her room.  She tried their numbers again, but nothing happened.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed her keys off the hook and headed for her car.  She was going to look all over D.C. if she had to, but she had to find Steve and Natasha.

She turned on her police scanner to listen in and see if there were any reports on him.  It took an hour, but she got a location and her blood ran cold when she heard, “There seems to be a man with a metal arm fighting Captain America and Black Widow as well.”

She floored it and headed toward the section of D.C. where the fighting was taking place.  She could already see the destruction the fighting had caused. Her boots pounded against the pavement as she took off in a run toward the sounds of fighting.

What the hell had happened while she had been knocked out?

She rounded a corner and saw Steve and Bucky fighting one another, Bucky was using a knife against him, a tight mask on his face unlike the times she had caught him watching her or the previous night when he had been with her in her home.  “Steve!” She screamed. “Stop! It’s Bucky!”

But Steve couldn’t hear her, he flipped Bucky, the mask falling away.  Mina could see Steve’s shock as he took in who was standing in front of him.  The look of horror as he realized that he had just been fighting his best friend.  She raced over and put herself between them, she was facing Bucky, “Bucky, stop, please.”

He blinked down at her, his hand had been reaching for a gun, but he stopped when he saw the dark haired beauty in front of him.  His mind flashed to the previous night, her in his arms, the way her tears had spilled down her cheeks. “I’m not Bucky,” things had gone too far.  She kept insisting that he was Bucky, but he wasn’t. He was no one.

She cupped his face with her hands, “Yes you are, you’re my Bucky.  I love you.”

“Mina move!”  She heard Natasha shout.

She turned to see Natasha holding a grenade launcher.  Ice shot through Mina’s veins. She quickly turned back to Bucky, “Run.”

He did, without hesitation.

Mina heard shouting and saw S.H.I.E.L.D. agents rushing towards them, their guns raised.  Steve managed to mouth a simple phrase to her, “Find him.”

She nodded and vanished before everyone’s eyes.  “Find her!” Rumlow barked, but it was too late, no one would be able to find her now.

She raced through the city trying to find Bucky, but there wasn’t a single trace of him to be seen.  She became visible again and cried out in frustration, tears burning her eyes. Someone grabbed her arm and she turned to fight whoever it was when she met Bucky’s blue eyes.  He was looking at her curiously.

“Why did you save me?”  His voice was broken, it made her heartache.

She pushed him into the alley where no one would notice them.  Her hand coming to cup his cheek, unlike the other night, when she had discovered him outside her home he didn’t flinch.  “Because I know you, I love you. Bucky, you’re Bucky.” An idea came to her, “Remember me, Bucky.” Her powers flowed through her.

Something in his eyes changed as recognition set in, “Oh my God, Mina.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks, “Bucky, oh God, Bucky, I’ve missed you.”  She threw her arms around him.

His arms wound around her and he let out a little sigh.  Mina was here, he could remember her. And Steve… he had fought with Steve.  His grip tightened, “Doll, we have to move. They’ll be looking for me.”

“I’m gonna kill them,” she growled as she pulled away, her eyes flashing with anger.  “I’ll kill them all for what they did to you.”

He touched her face with his flesh hand, a small smile on his face, “Still as fierce as ever I see.”  He frowned as he remembered seeing how close she and Steve were, the intimate moments they had shared, “About you and Steve?”

“Now is not the time,” she said as she tugged him down the alleyway.  “We need to find a safe space like you said the others will be after you and it looks like they’re after me as well.”

She turned invisible, Bucky turning invisible as well.  “When did you learn to do this, doll?” Warmth spread through her as she heard him call her by her familiar nickname.  She had gotten used to Steve calling her by the pet name, but there was nothing quite like the way it rolled off of Bucky’s tongue.

“S.H.I.E.L.D.’s been helping me master my abilities since they woke me and Steve up,” she peaked out the end of the alleyway.  “Coast is clear, come on.”

A van came screeching to a halt in front of them and the door opened to reveal Steve, “Mina, I know you’re there, ditch the phone and come with us.”

She and Bucky became visible.  “Whoa, no way, nuh-uh, he can’t come in here,” an unfamiliar man said.   

“Just come on,” Steve said with a sigh.  The two of them hopped in the van and sped off.


	33. Chapter 33

They were at a bunker on the outskirts of the city.  Mina wasn’t surprised that they had a secondary location like this in case things ever went awry.  Each of them were surprised to see that Fury was still alive. If he had been surprised by the two newest additions to the group he didn’t let on like he was.  

“Let me get this straight, you were brainwashed by the group known as HYDRA and you’ve been their assassin for over seventy years now?”  Sam asked as they all looked at Bucky.

Bucky was firmly pressed against Mina, she hadn’t moved from his side since they had been reunited.  He was a little uncomfortable surrounded by the people he didn’t know, most of them he had tried to kill.  “Yes,” Bucky said. “But thanks to Mina, I’ve been able to regain some of my memories.” Some things were still a little fuzzy, but he could remember most of his time with her and Steve.

Mina looked at Steve who was watching her, she wanted to reach out and touch him, to comfort him in some way, but she wasn’t sure how.  Things were a little more complicated now that Bucky was there. “And you’re telling me that HYDRA has been in control of S.H.I.E.L.D. this entire time?”  Mina questioned.

“Not the entire time,” Steve said.  “But they managed to worm their way to the top.”

“Well this day just keeps getting better,” she muttered.

Fury pulled out a case and laid it on the table in front of them.  “If we have any hope of taking those Insight Helicarriers down then we need to insert these chips into their targeting systems.”

Mina looked between her boys, “Just like old times right?”  It would be nice running missions with the two of them again.  The two of them chuckled and Mina turned back to Fury. “We need to take down Pierce, if he’s the leader then we can’t let him go.  Who knows how many other HYDRA cells are out there right now.”

“I can take care of Pierce,” Natasha said.  Some of her color had come back, and she no longer looked like she was on Death’s door.

“Take some time to prepare.  We have an hour before we need to leave,” Fury said as he shut the case with the chips in them.

Mina, Steve, and Bucky wandered off together.  Mina knew they had a lot to discuss with one another, and she knew Bucky was going to have questions about her and Steve.  He had been watching her when he was under HYDRA’s control, of course, he knew about the two of them.

“Buck,” Steve began, guilt lacing his voice.

“No,” Bucky said, he held up a hand to stop Steve from finishing whatever it was he had been going to say.  “How long have you been in love with her?” Mina stood back, her eyes flickering back and forth between the two men she loved.  Her heart ached as she watched the two of them standing there so far apart from one another. This should have been a happy reunion, they were together again, instead, things were tangled.

“Since the moment I met her,” he whispered.  His eyes couldn’t meet either of their gazes.  He had lied to the both of them for so long, but as he said those words it felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.  “But I knew I could never have her, she wouldn’t want to be stuck with me, a sick man on the verge of death all the time. She was better suited for you.  Then I joined the war and became,” he gestured to himself. “And I met Peggy. My feelings for Mina went away or I thought they were gone, and then we went into the ice.”  He ran a hand through his hair his gaze finally meeting Bucky’s, “She was all I had left and all those old feelings came back.”

Bucky looked at Mina, “Do you love him?”

She wasn’t going to lie to him, she would never lie to him.  Her voice was soft as she said, “I do.”

Bucky let out a sardonic laugh, “You know this isn’t how I pictured my reunion with my wife to go.”

Steve stumbled back, suddenly feeling light-headed, “Wife?!”

Bucky looked at Mina in shock, “You never told him?!  Why the hell haven’t you told him?!”

She cringed, “I’ve never told anyone!  Peggy and Dum Dum were the only ones that ever knew.  After you supposedly died I didn’t see the point in telling anyone.  They already looked at me with so much pity, I couldn’t take it if they actually knew we were married!”

“Wait Dum Dum and Peggy knew?”  Steve looked betrayed. “I’m your best friend and you told Dum Dum?”

Mina buried her face in her hands and let out a moan before looking back up and pointing at Steve, “See!  I told you the night we were married that this would be his reaction.”

Bucky slowly smiled and chuckled, “That you did, doll, that you did.”

“For a moment let’s pretend that that wasn’t just a bombshell dropped on me, what do we do now?”  Steve asked.

“We carry out this mission,” Mina said.  “Personal stuff has to wait.”

“She’s right,” Bucky conceded, though he didn’t like leaving this discussion where they were leaving it.  “HYDRA has to be stopped, we can figure this out later.”

Steve looked like he wanted to talk about this more like he wasn’t ready to face HYDRA yet, but conceded as well.  “Get dressed, we’re heading to S.H.I.E.L.D..” He turned and stalked off. Mina wondered where he was going with such determination.

“I need to check on Natasha,” Mina murmured as she hurried off.  She didn’t want to be left alone with Bucky at that moment. She didn’t want to talk to him any longer now that things were so out in the open.

Natasha was still getting patched up, but she didn’t look like she was in as much pain as she had been before.  Sam was there with her watching as the doctor took care of her. He looked up when he heard Mina’s footsteps heading their way.  He stuck out his hand, “Sam Wilson.”

“Mina Gaspari, it’s nice to meet you, Sam.”  She gave him a polite smile and turned to Natasha, “How are you doing, Nat?”

“Oh you know, not too bad considering my best friend’s fiance shot me,” she grinned.

“Sorry about that,” the others turned to see Bucky lingering in the doorway.  “HYDRA made me do it. I hope there are no hard feelings.”

“You owe me a car,” Sam said, his arms crossed over his chest as he glared at Bucky.

“Fair,” Bucky said, his lips pursed.  “Seriously though, I am sorry.”

Sam didn’t look happy, but he understood.  Bucky couldn’t help what he had done back on the overpass.  He was a victim just like they were. Maria entered the space, “Where’s Rogers?”

“He went to get ready,” Mina told her.  “Which reminds me, I need a suit.”

“Taken care of,” Maria said as she gestured to a case in the corner of the room.  “You’re suit is all ready to go in there. Sam, we have your wings as well.”

Mina grabbed the case and followed Maria’s directions to a private room where she could change in private.  When she came out she was joined by Steve who had changed as well, Natasha in one of the council woman’s clothes, Sam in his wings, and Bucky looking over several guns that they had offered him.

Both men looked Mina’s way, but she ignored their eyes.  “Are we ready?”

Fury came out, wincing slightly as he adjusted to the pain.  “We’re ready, Agent Gaspari. Let’s take these bastards down.”

 

The S.H.I.E.L.D. building loomed in front of Steve, Sam, Maria, Bucky, and Mina.  Maria was taking them in through a back entrance that wasn’t monitored that often.  Mina was surprised that they didn’t have more people watching it. She would have thought that HYDRA would want to cover their bases with their ragtag team on the loose.

But she didn’t question it for too long.  Small miracles and all that.

They headed up to a room where the video feeds throughout the building were monitored and where Maria could keep an eye on the INSIGHT Helicarriers.  Steve took control of the comms and began to speak. “I know that a lot of you have been told to hunt me down, that I have gone rogue, but that isn’t true.  S.H.I.E.L.D. has been taken over by HYDRA, and they’re going to use Insight to control the world. I can’t allow that to happen. I know STRIKE is apart of HYDRA as well as the INSIGHT crew, but I don’t know if there are more.  Alexander Pierce is their leader, he’s been lying to you. If you don’t want to see the world ruled by these men then help me put a stop to this, help me keep the world free.”

“Did you practice that on the way over or was that just off the top of your head?”  Sam joked.

Steve shook his head, fighting back a grin.  “Wouldn’t you like to know.” He motioned for the three of them to follow him.  “Come on, we need to get to those Helicarriers.”

The four of them raced off leaving Maria to man the video feeds and the computers.  Steve was handling Alpha, Sam Bravo, and Mina and Buck were handling Charlie. They split up wishing the others luck.

“I still can’t believe you never told Steve we were married,” Bucky said as they raced off toward their Helicarrier.

She glanced over at him, “Are we really going to discuss that  _ now _ ?”

“Well, can you blame me?”

She took in a deep breath, “Look, I just never saw a point.  We thought you were dead, Buck. Now can we please focus on the mission?”

“Yeah you two, save the marital squabble for after,” Sam chimed in.

Mina growled and threw a HYDRA agent that was rushing toward her and Bucky, “Shut up, Sam!”

Bucky chuckled but didn’t say anything as he fired off a few rounds of his gun at some more agents that appeared out of thin air.  Mina went invisible causing Bucky to curse, “I hate it when you do that!” He heard Mina chuckled, she was a few feet in front of him, but she was moving quickly.

The two of them boarded the Helicarrier, Mina cleared the hallway and appeared before Bucky, “You keep the area clear while I change out the chip.”  He nodded his head and stayed posted outside the door.

Mina entered the room where the mainframe for the Helicarrier was.  Her hands were on fire, she was ready for anything. She didn’t know if there would be any HYDRA agents in there with her.  There was no one though, she was alone.

She moved forward quickly.  “Alpha lock,” she heard Steve say.

As she was pulling out her trays she heard Sam say, “Bravo lock.”

“Mina, where are you?”  Maria asked.

“I’m about to put the final card in.”  She pulled out one of the cards and placed the other in, “Charlie lock.”

“Good, the three of you need to get out of their now.  The carriers are already in the air,” Maria said. “I’ll fire once you’re clear.”

Mina hurried back into the hallway and grabbed Bucky’s hand, leading him up to where they could jump from the Helicarrier.  She turned to Bucky as they reached the edge. She blocked the fire from the HYDRA agents and looked up at Bucky, “Do you trust me?”

“With my life,” he responded.

She began to run toward the edge, Bucky following her lead as she leapt over the side.  She threw out her magic slowing their descent toward the ground. Bucky felt his breath catch in his throat, the ground was racing up underneath him quickly. Bullets flew past them, barely missing them as they went.

“Brace yourself!”  Mina yelled over the howling of the wind in their ears.  Bucky readied for a landing and the two of them stumbled as they landed on the ground.  “Steve, where are you?” 

“I’m getting off the Helicarrier now.”

“Guys, Rumlow is on his way to council room,” Maria told them.

Mina looked back at Bucky, “Stay here, find Sam and Steve when they land.”  She kissed his cheek and ran for the building. 

When Mina reached the building she broke through the glass of a window and took off running to Rumlow’s location.  She stopped him a couple of floors below the council room. He glared at her as she came to a stop in front of him. “You know, I never did care for you,” he sneered.

“The feeling is mutual,” she responded.  “I always knew you were a snake.”

“I’m gonna take pleasure in breaking you, what’d you do with the Winter Soldier?”  The two of them were circling one another now.

“ _ Bucky, _ ” she corrected, an edge to her voice.  “His name is Bucky and he’s back where he’s supposed to be.”

Rumlow’s eyes lit up and he realized something about Mina and Bucky.  “You love him, I bet that if Pierce had known that he would have never had him watching you,” Rumlow chuckled.  “Probably triggered some of his memories, too bad we couldn’t scramble him in time.”

Mina saw red when he said that, she jumped into action.  Her fist connected with his face with a satisfying slap of her fist against his cheek.  The grunt of pain that emanated from him only spurred her on as she continued to hit him over and over again.  Tears streamed down her cheeks, Rumlow’s blood coating her fist as she repeatedly hit him. “Seventy years! I lost seventy years with him because of people like you!” 

Rumlow grinned sadistically at her as she pounded on his face.  He didn’t seem to care that she was hitting him, he seemed to be enjoying this in some twisted way.  It only angered her more that he seemed to gain pleasure from what she was doing to him. 

She felt someone tug her back, “Doll!  Enough, we gotta go.”

She struggled against Bucky’s grip, “I’ll kill him!”  Rumlow grinned at her which only made her thrash even more, “Let go of me.”

“Doll, the building is coming down, we need to go,” the urgency in his voice made her pause.

She looked back at Bucky, worry in his eyes and she wondered how much of her breakdown he had seen.  “Come on.” She took his hand running toward the window, she could hear the rumbling of the building as it began to collapse around them.  The two of them jumped out of the window and when Mina turned she noticed the building start to collapse behind them.

They landed and Bucky immediately pulled her into his arms.  “I’ve got you, doll. I’m here, I’m not leaving you again.”

She squeezed him tightly, and before she could say anything Steve came rushing over to them.  “Are you guys okay?”

Bucky was running his fingers through her hair, he nodded his head, “We’re fine.  Did everyone make it out?”

Steve nodded, “Everyone is safe and arrested if need be.”

Mina wiped her eyes and pulled away from Bucky to go to Steve.  She wrapped her arms around him, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… Mina.”  She knew he was gonna call her doll, but stopped himself before he could.  “What happened with Rumlow?”

“Damn near beat him to death,” Bucky said, his face neutral.  “Can’t say I blame her, he was an ass.”

“Mina!”  Natasha’s voice rang out over the space and Mina turned to see her friend still in the council woman’s outfit.  She threw her arms around Mina, “Thank God, you’re all right.”

“I’m fine, what about you?  No more gunshot wounds?” 

“All good,” Natasha said.

Sam wandered over too, the sounds of emergency sirens approaching from the distance, “The police and paramedics are arriving, you guys ready to give your statements?”

The group groaned but nodded their heads and went to meet with the officials as they arrived.  They were going to be there for a while trying to explain what the hell had happened to S.H.I.E.L.D. and why three Helicarriers were blasted from the sky.

Mina, Steve, and Bucky were separated as they gave their statements to the police.  Natasha was being questioned as she was being looked over by the paramedics. Other agents milled around the area trying to help ease some of the chaos.

With the statements given, they were allowed to go home but were told not to leave the area any time soon in case they had more questions.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Relationship tags have changed and I've added some new tags.

It had been a little over two weeks since S.H.I.E.L.D. had fallen, and everyone was still waiting for clearance to leave.  Steve, Mina, and Bucky had all agreed they would go back to New York when they were allowed to leave D.C.. Other than talking about going back to New York the group hadn’t talked about much else.

They were all a little too worried to talk to one another about their feelings at the present time.  They weren’t sure what to do and they walked on eggshells around one another.

Steve was the first to break the silence.  He had asked Mina to give him and Bucky some privacy so the two of them could talk things over.  Mina had agreed, but she was a little uneasy about what would happen when she left them alone. She wished them both a goodnight when Natasha came to get her so they could go drinking.  Mina was going to need alcohol to get through the night.

Steve and Bucky were both currently sitting across from one another in the home Mina and Steve had shared for the better part of a year, neither of them saying a word.  Bucky could see Mina’s touch, he knew she stayed her more than Steve. He could even smell her perfume and it drove him insane, his heart beating quickly.

Years of dreaming of the beautiful woman, wondering if he had known her and now he had her back.  He had most of his memories back. But there was just one thing.

She had been seeing his best friend.  He had seen the passionate kisses they had shared, knew they had led to something more.  His eyes glanced down the hall where he knew their shared bedroom was.

“Buck,” Steve started, he had caught Bucky looking down the hall and knew it was as good a time as any to start their long and awkward conversation.

Bucky held up a hand, “No.  Look Stevie, I’m not mad. The two of you thought I was dead, and then you woke up in an unfamiliar time and the two of you thought that you were all you had left from our time.  I can’t even fault you for loving Mina before me. I just wished you had been honest with me from the beginning. Why did you never tell me you loved her? I even asked you once!”

“I didn’t think she could ever love me back!”  Steve yelled back angrily. “You were the sauve one, you were the one that the dames loved, you had the looks, Buck.  Mina only ever saw me as a friend.”

“How do you know that?”  Bucky asked, his brow furrowing.  “Did you ever give her a chance? You knew her for six whole months before she ever met me.  In that time did you ever stop to consider that maybe she cared about you as more than a friend before you shoved me in her face?”

Steve looked away, he had considered it once.  It had been a few months since they had become friends and Steve thought about telling her how he really felt.  She had taken him out to get pie, she wanted to spend the day with him. She had been wearing a light green dress and heels that brought her up to his height.

_“They have really good pie here, I’m surprised you’ve never had any,” she was walking beside him, a bright smile on her face as she looked over at him._

_Steve was so nervous he felt like he was on the verge of an asthma attack.  He was going to tell Mina how he felt today. He was going to tell her he had feelings for her and pray for the best.  “Buck’s talked about it before,” he said. “He took his sister Rebecca here once for her birthday. Decided to splurge his hard earned money on his little sister instead of on a new pair of shoes he needed.”_

_“Aw, that was sweet of him,” she looped her arm through Steve’s and he had trouble focusing on his breathing, all he could think about was how her warmth was seeping in through the thin material of his shirt.  “When are you going to introduce me to the infamous Bucky Barnes? You talk about him all the time, and I want to hear stories about you from someone who knows you well.”_

_Steve hesitated for a moment, “I don’t know.  Soon? Bucky’s busy with work right now.”_

_“Well bring him to the restaurant one day, I’ll make him and you a pizza.”_

_“Sure thing,” Steve murmured._

_The two of them made it to the shop and ordered a slice of pie each.  Mina had cherry while Steve had apple. The two of them sat at one of the little tables and continued to talk.  Mina mentioned how her father wanted to expand their menu with some experimental pizzas, but was worried about how it was gonna go over with the customers, wondering if anyone would actually like the pizzas or just stick with the classics.  Steve offered to try the new pizzas and give his input if they were okay with that, Mina told him that her father would love that._

_On their walk back Steve considered telling her then when they stopped in front of the restaurant.  “Mina, I…”_

_She turned and looked at him expectantly, “Yeah, Steve?”_

_He shook his head, “Nevermind, it’s not important.  I’ll see you later?”_

_Mina gave him a concerned look, “All right, I’ll be here if you need anything.  See you later, Stevie.”_

_“Bye, Mina,” he watched her walk into the restaurant before heading home himself._

“Once, about three months before I introduced the two of you,” he admitted.  “We went to get pie and I was gonna tell her, but I chickened out and just never did.”

Bucky was silent again just taking in his best friend.  “I need a beer, you want one?” Steve nodded and Bucky stood up, he pulled two bottles from the refrigerator and passed one to Steve.  “What are we going to do now then?”

Bucky caught the flash of pain in Steve’s eyes before he spoke.  “Buck, the two of you are married. She’s always loved you, and she always will.  I know this. Of course, she’ll choose you,” Steve never doubted that Mina loved him, but Bucky was the one for her.  He knew she would choose Bucky over him, there was no competition between the two of them.

“What if she doesn’t want me anymore, Steve?  She says she loves me, but I’m not the same man I was over seventy years ago.  I’ve killed people Steve, I killed Howard.” He looked away from his friend, Steve knew he had killed Howard.

“Bucky if you think for one second that Mina Gaspari wouldn’t go through that gates of hell for you then you are dead wrong.  That woman would fight Satan himself if it meant she could be with you again.”

Bucky chuckled, the image of Mina fighting Satan causing a little burst of happiness to flow through him.  “She would,” he said with a nod. “But she has you now.”

“And she’ll always have me as a friend, but she needs you.  She’s been on autopilot these past couple of years. We both have, we’ve managed to find happiness with one another and in the moments we’re together and not fighting for S.H.I.E.L.D. or the safety of the world we managed to be a light in the darkness for one another.  Now she has you again, her greatest love. I see her sometimes gazing out the window, the same haunting look that graced her face days after we all thought you had died. She hasn’t been the same since you died, that piece of her missing.”

“What happened after I fell?”  He asked quietly.

“I had to tell her you died,” Steve said.  “The others wanted to do it. They knew I was hurting just as much as she was about to be if not more.  But it had to be me. She was broken, so broken, Buck. That last mission we ran together before we went into the ice, she was ready to go.  You could see it in her eyes, if she died then she was okay with that. There was no life in her at all.”

Bucky sucked in a breath, hearing that his girl had been ready to give it all up scared him more than anything.  “What happened when the two of you woke up?”

“We thought we were gonna die that day and waking up to this strange new world was a little disconcerting.  It was no longer 1945 but 2011 and everything had changed. It took us time, but we managed to get the hang of things.”

The two of them fell back into silence not sure what to say next or how to proceed from here.

 

On the other side of town, Mina was taking a shot of tequila, her hair a mess from where she had been running her hands through it repeatedly.  Right now Steve and Bucky were talking and she was dying to know what they were saying.

Natasha was sitting across from her, an amused look on her face.  “Talk to me, Mina.”

Mina looked over at her best friend, “I don’t know what to do, Nat!  They’re both alive! Bucky and Steve, alive. And I’m in love with both of them.”  She rested her head on the table and groaned. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”

Natasha pursed her lips, not sure how the other woman was going to take this.  “Have you ever heard of polyamory?”

Mina looked up, “You mean having more than one romantic partner?  Yeah, I came across it when I was researching what relationships were like in this century.  Why?” Natasha gave her a look and Mina blushed, “You’re telling me to be with both of them?!”

Natasha shrugged, “Look, I’m not telling you to do anything.  I’m just telling you that it’s an option. Of course, they would have to be okay with this, and it’s perfectly normal.  Plus, I don’t think anyone would judge you for it. You’re not being greedy, you’re not a slut. You’re clearly in love with both of them.  So what if it’s consider unconventional? If it works, it works.”

Mina chewed on her lip, “I mean… it’s not a bad idea.”

“Talk it over with lover boys at home and go from there.  And it’s not like it would have to be permanent, any of you could back out at any time.”

Mina stood up quickly ignoring the dizziness as she did, “I gotta go talk to them.”  She dashed out of the bar, she needed to get this out before she lost her nerve and the alcohol wore off.

Mina hailed a cab and told him to step on it.  When she arrived back home she threw a wad of cash at the driver and told him to keep the change.  He thanked her as she dashed out of the car. She felt like she was going to throw up and she wasn’t sure if it was because of her nerves or the number of tequila shots she had taken at the bar.

She stuck her key in the door and twisted, her heart racing incredibly fast.  She moved down the hall, both men quiet as they heard her approach. She paused in the doorway trying to gauge the mood of the room.  “Can we talk?” Her voice shook a little and the two men shared a worried look.

“Sure, doll,” Bucky said as he vacated his seat so she could take his chair.  He pulled a stool over and sat down.

Mina drummed her fingers on the table not sure how to bring this up or how to even start this conversation.  “I know you two probably talked about what would happen now, which one of you I would choose.” She took in a deep breath and played with the dog tags that hung from her neck.  Bucky’s eyes drifted to her hand and saw his old tags and the engagement ring he had gotten her resting there. “I talked with Natasha because even I didn’t know what to do. How could I?  I love you both.” She looked away from the table, her cheeks heating. “She mentioned something….” She trailed off, squirming in her seat.

“Mina, what is it?”  Steve asked in a soft tone.  He could see how nervous she was.

“There’s this thing now, it’s called polyamory….”  Once again Steve and Bucky shared a look with one another.  “It’s where you’re in a relationship with more than one person.”  The room was silent and Mina suddenly regretted her decision to bring this up altogether.  “Never mind,” she stood up quickly. “Forget I said anything, it was a bad idea. I’ve had too much to drink, just ignore me.”

She went to leave when she heard both men scramble to their feet and rushed over to stop her.  Steve was at her back while Bucky stood in front of her. Steve’s hands were holding her hips while Bucky took her face gently in his hands and made her look up at him.  “Doll, is that what you want? To be with both of us?”

She searched his face, no judgment in his eyes as he stared back at her.  Steve’s thumbs were rubbing soothing circles on her hips. “I can’t choose between you two.  It’s too painful, and I can’t give you up either. So yes, I want to be with the two of you, but only if you’re comfortable with it.”

“I’d do anything to make you happy, Mina,” Bucky said.  “And I know Steve would too.”

Steve dropped a kiss to the top of her head.  “I would never make you leave Bucky, and I would have bowed out gracefully if you had asked.”

Mina felt herself relax, “So you’re okay with this?”

The two men nodded, “I am, what about you, Buck?”

“I trust Stevie with you, if it had been anyone else I wouldn’t want to share.  But I’m okay with this.”

Mina closed her eyes and felt her body relax.  “Thank God.” She turned around and looked at Steve, “Can I ask a favor?”

“You want some alone time with Buck, right?”  She nodded. He placed a soft kiss to her cheek, “I understand, I’ll be at the apartment if you need me.  We can talk more about this later.” He said goodbye and headed out to his motorcycle.

“We have so much to talk about, Buck,” she took his hands in hers.  

He smiled gently at her, feeling more at ease than he had in the last seventy years, “I’m all ears, doll.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm nervous/excited for this new change. This wasn't originally planned, but it felt right. My friend (who reads everything I send her when I need advice, she's wonderful) and I talked it over a lot and we both agreed that this was something that needed to happen. Please note any negative comments will be deleted on sight, I won't tolerate hate or negativity on my fic.


	35. Chapter 35

Mina and Bucky both waited until they heard the lock click shut and the roar of Steve’s motorcycle before they entered the living room and settled in on the couch.  She turned to Bucky and smiled at him, “It’s good to have you back, Buck. I hope you know how much I’ve missed you.”

He pulled her onto his lap.  “I missed you too, doll. I dreamed about you, but I never realized it was you.  When they told me to watch you and I saw you for the first time I thought it was some sick joke.  You were my mission and I had dreamed of you so many times. If they had told me to kill you I don’t know if I could have done it.  You were the one bright thing in my life.”

“Well thank God I got to you first,” she said with a smile as she ran her fingers through his hair.  “Tell me everything,” she said. “I want to know what happened to you from the time you fell to now.”

Bucky fidgeted beneath her, and she could tell he was uncomfortable.  “I don’t want you to think differently of me. I’ve done some bad things, doll.”

Mina rested her forehead against his temple, “I know, I know what you did as the Winter Soldier.  I’ve seen the files. Bucky, I don’t care. You were brainwashed, that wasn’t you. I know you would never do those things if you were of sound mind and body.”

Tears welled up in Bucky’s eyes, she was too kind, she loved him despite all the bad things that he had done as the Winter Soldier.  Slowly he began to tell her his first memories as the Winter Soldier. She sat on his lap, still playing with his hair as he worked through everything.  She would sometimes wipe his tears away with her thumb as he talked.

Finally, he came to the end of his tale, his eyes downcast, not wanting to look her in the eye and see the disappointment or disgust there.  When he worked up the courage to finally meet her gaze he was still surprised that there was no look of disgust or hatred there.  “How are you still looking at me like you love me? How can you not hate me?”

“For better or worse,” she said simply.  “I made a vow to love you no matter what and this doesn’t change a damn thing.  I love you, James Buchanan Barnes, and I know that you would never commit those heinous crimes of your own volition.  We’ll get through this together. You, me, and Steve.” She placed a lingering kiss to his cheek.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck and cried softly, it was all too much.  It had been so long since anyone had shown him this kind of kindness. Had given him this much love.  “You’re too good for me, Mina Gaspari.”

“I’m not too good for you, Bucky.  Don’t think like that.” She kissed his cheek, her fingers brushing stray locks of hair from his face.  “I’m sorry you had to find out about me and Steve like you did. When you finally remembered it couldn’t have been easy.”

His nose brushed against her cheek, “When I was… him, I was jealous, but I didn’t know why.  Then you woke me up from the fog in my mind and I was a little shocked, but I wasn’t mad. I told Steve this and I’m going to tell you too.  You both thought I was dead and you were all you had left from our time. If the rolls had been reversed I’m sure we would have been in the same situation.”  She looked at him, a soft smile on her face as she took in his features.  She leaned forward slowly and placed a lingering kiss to his lips. Bucky wasted no time in kissing her back, he remembered the feeling of her lips on his, their stolen moments back during the war when they would be alone in her room at night, praying no one would walk in on them.  He pulled back, grinning slightly, “We’re finally getting our alone time, doll.”

“Then let’s not waste it,” she said as she tugged on his long locks.

He picked her up, his hands cupping her ass for support, “Tell me where to go.”

“The guest room is the first door on the left.”  He began to walk them there as Mina peppered kisses along Bucky’s stubbled jaw and down his neck.  He set her down on the floor and tugged her jacket off, his lips placing sloppy kisses along her neck and exposed shoulder.  Her skin was still as soft as it had been before.

She shoved his shirt over his head and took in his exposed torso.  He had more muscle than he did back in the forties. Her hand gently slid up from the bottom of his abs toward where his left shoulder was scared.  He watched her as she took in the scars and his metal arm. “Hideous isn’t it?”

Her eyes met his and she shook her head, “No, it’s just you.”  She leaned forward and pressed a kiss against the metal. “And I love every inch of you.”

His lips captured hers again and pulled her onto his lap so that her legs were straddling his.  She had missed the feeling of his skin pressed against her, the way he moaned when she moved her hips in a slow, teasing motion.  “Drivin’ me insane, doll.”

“I know,” she smirked.  “Why do you think I’m doing it?”

Bucky flipped the two of them so he was hovering over top of her, his lips trailing down her neck toward her breasts.  “Maybe I should return the favor then,” he looked up at her, his eyes darkened by lust.

“Bucky,” she moaned as he began teasing her through the thin fabric of her bra.  He didn’t stay there long as he continued to work his way down her body, his lips leaving a trail of goosebumps across her body.

Neither of them held back their moans and cries of pleasure that night, no longer having to worry if someone was going to catch them or not.  When they were both sated enough for the evening they laid together in each other’s arms, Mina’s fingers trailing through Bucky’s hair as his head lay on her chest.

“Are you sure you’re okay with me being with you and Steve?”  She was still worried that the two of them wouldn’t want to do it, that they were only agreeing to it because they wanted to make her happy.  “You can say no.”

Bucky looked up at her, “Mina, I really don’t care.  I’m not going to hurt you and say that you can’t be with Steve when you clearly love him.  And I meant what I said, I trust Steve with you. And I don’t care what people will think, I just want my girl to be happy.”

She smiled at him, “I am happy, Bucky.  Trust me.”

“Good, now get some sleep, doll. I want you to show me around D.C. before we head back home.”  He kissed her and settled in for the rest of the night.

 

The next day Mina sent Steve a text and told him to come back to the house.  She was standing in the kitchen making a pot of coffee, Bucky still in bed asleep, when Steve arrived back at the house.  He wrapped his arms around her and placed a lingering kiss on her neck.

“Did you have a good reunion?”  He whispered in her ear.

She hummed and turned around his arms, she brushed her nose against his.  “It was wonderful, Stevie. How was your evening?”

“Missed being with you, doll.”

“Okay, if we’re going to do with you gotta come up with a different nickname for her.  Doll is mine,” Bucky strode into the room, sweatpants hanging low on his hips. Mina reached out and took his hand, pulling him in for a quick kiss.

“How ‘bout, darling?”  Steve said as he rested his head on hers.

Bucky was pressed against her front, his arms snaking around her waist.  Mina hummed, “I like it, Steve.”

Mina felt at ease trapped between her two boys, the world was at peace in her mind if only for a moment.  She managed to pry herself away from the two of them, but they found ways to continue to touch her, whether it was just brushing up against her or if it was outright holding her hand or wrapping an arm around her.

She made the three of them breakfast and they talked about the past together.  Bucky was still trying to piece things together. He knew enough to remember who Steve and Mina were, as well as his family, but there were memories for his time in the army missing as well as some gaps from his time at HYDRA.

They talked a little more about their relationship, and entering this new world where it was no longer just Steve and Mina or Bucky and Mina, but Bucky, Mina, and Steve.  They talked about how nervous they all were, this was new territory for all three of them. These types of relationships would have been frowned upon in their time, and they could just imagine how their parents would react if they were still alive.  People would look at her and call her a slut behind her back, she would be a pariah among her peers. But that was then and this was now. People weren’t as closed minded now.

“I know that this wasn’t conventional back in the forties,” Mina said slowly as she ate her breakfast.  “But Natasha assures me that this is pretty normal now. And I’m sure our friends wouldn’t tease us because if they did I’m pretty sure Nat would kick their asses.”

“We’re not ashamed if that’s what you think,” Steve said.  “We just want you to be happy.”

“I want the two of you to be happy too,” she said, she hated the thought that they were just doing this because this was what she wanted.  She didn’t want to dictate their lives. “If you don’t think--”

“Doll,” Bucky took her free hand and made her pause her thought.  “We’re big boys, if we didn’t think we could handle this then we wouldn’t have agreed to it.  And if at any point any of us decide that this isn’t what we want anymore then we can talk it over and see where we go from her.”

She was relieved to hear that, “I really do love the both of you.”  She kissed Steve on the cheek and then Bucky. “But please do talk to me if this ever becomes too much.  I’ll understand, and I won’t hold it against you.”

They talked a little more about their relationship, but for the most part they were all in agreement of how things were gonna go.  Steve and Bucky were not shying away from the topic. It amazed Mina at how far Steve had come since the time they first slept together, long gone was the shy man who wasn’t sure what he wanted or what to do and in his place was a confident man who was going after what he wanted.  And then Bucky not even blinking an eye at all of this, she was amazed by the two of them.

She cleared the table and started doing the dishes.  Bucky stood behind her with his arms around her waist, watching her and kissing her neck causing her to giggle.  Steve watched the two of them with a soft smile, it was good to see his two favorite people in the world back together again.  If he closed his eyes he could almost pretend he was back at the Barnes’ home.

“We should take him to the Smithsonian,” Steve said after he pulled himself from his daydream.  “Show him the exhibit.”

“Oh no, I don’t think we should go there,” Bucky shook his head, glancing back at Steve.  “I don’t need to see your ugly mug painted on a museum wall.”

Steve shoved Bucky and said, “Jerk.”

“Punk,” Bucky shoved right back.

“We’re going,” Mina announced.  “You’re just going to have to suck it up.”

Bucky pouted slight, “Doll.”

“Nope,” she said.  “Not gonna work, Buck.”  She turned back to her breakfast and continued to eat as Bucky gave her his best puppy dog eyes.  “Eat,” she commanded not even looking at him.

When the three of them were done Mina sat their dishes in the sink and went to get dressed for the day.  She returned and found that Steve had loaned Bucky some of his clothes. Mina promised that she would take him to get new clothes later that day.  

They wandered around the city, Mina and Steve both pointing things out to Bucky and sharing stories with him.  They told him about their missions and their friends. Mina pulled the two men toward the Smithsonian so that they could see the Captain America exhibit together.  Bucky and Steve wore baseball caps, and Mina joked that there was no way someone wasn’t going to not realize who they were.

The three of them took their time, Mina and Steve had already been here, and Mina knew that Steve sometimes came here when he was feeling nostalgic and needed to remember his friends.  Bucky took in the murals that were painted on the wall through the walkway. Taking in the words written and some of the pictures of pre-serum Steve. There was a little hint of a smile there.  

When they made it into the larger space Bucky froze as his eyes took in the picture painted of him with the other Howling Commandos.  Then his eyes traveled to the little section that they had on him.

Tears were in his eyes as he realized the world looked at him like a hero.  He had done horrible things as the Winter Soldier under HYDRA’s command, but he was a hero to everyone else.

“You’re a hero to me too, Sergeant,” Mina whispered against his ear as she took in the look on his face.

He cupped her face with his hand and brought his head down to give her a sweet kiss, “Thank you for this.”

She smiled at him, “Anything for you, Buck.”

They stayed for a few more minutes before they left to get Bucky new clothes.  They ate dinner in the city before heading back to the house together. Each of them got ready for bed and Mina curled up in between her two soldiers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let you know there might not be an update next week because I'm playing catch up with some things.


	36. Chapter 36

“Mini!”  Mina exclaimed as she called her namesake.  “I’m back in New York. I wanted to come and see you.”

“I’d love that Mina,” Mini said.  “Did you enjoy your time in D.C.?”

“I did,” she said. “More than I thought I would.  I’ll come by around lunch today with Steve and a special guest.”

“I can’t wait,” Mini said with a chuckle.  

Mina looked over to where Steve and Bucky were sitting reading the newspapers together.  They had moved into the Avengers’ Tower after everything that had happened in D.C.. It was nice being back in New York again, she had missed the city.  “Get dressed you two, we’re taking a trip.”

Both their heads swiveled to her and Steve asked, “Where we goin’, darling?”

“To see Mini,” she said brightly.

Bucky furrowed her brows, “Mini?  Who is Mini?”

“Your niece,” Mina said.  “She’s Bec’s daughter.”

Bucky’s heart felt like it was lodged in his throat, “Becs had a daughter?”

Mina nodded, “Yes, and she is delightful.  I told her we were coming, so get dressed. Nothing fancy.”  Mina stood and headed toward their shared room. Tony hadn’t said a damn thing when the three of them told him that they would be staying together.  Mina had given him a look that said he if embarrassed the two super soldiers she was going to throw him out the window.

Bucky looked at Steve, “I have a niece?”

“Yep, and she married one of Mina’s cousins,” Steve said without looking up from his paper.  “You’ll love her, she’s like Becs.” Bucky was quiet and Steve looked over at him, “What is it, Buck?”

He wrung his hands, “I can’t really remember Becs.  I have vague pictures of her, and some memories of her, but I’m still trying to get everything back.”

“Then seeing Mini will help hopefully.”  Steve folded his paper and stood up, “Come on punk, let’s go get ready before our girl comes out and drags us back there by our ears.”

Bucky chuckled, “She would do that wouldn’t she?”

“Damn straight she would,” the two of them made their way toward their room.

 

The drive was a short one.  Mina could see Mini standing on the porch waiting for them. The moment Steve stopped the car Mina threw open the door and went running toward Mini.  “I’ve missed you!” She wrapped Mini in a giant hug.

Mini laughed and squeezed her back, “I’ve missed you too.”

Steve and Bucky were slower getting out of the vehicle and approaching the home.  Mini looked up and smiled at Steve, but when she saw Bucky the smile faltered and her hand came up to her mouth.  “Uncle Bucky?”

Bucky shifted, she looked so much like Rebecca.  God, he missed his sister. Mini came forward and wrapped her arms around Bucky.  It took him a moment but to return Mini’s embrace. When he did Mina could see the tears rolling down his cheeks.

Steve wrapped an arm around Mina’s waist and held her closer.  “This must be so overwhelming for the two of them,” he murmured in her ear.

“Why don’t we go inside and get some tea started so that they can have a moment alone together?”  She offered quietly. He nodded and followed her inside. Mina gathered the supplies for the tea and Steve got the oven ready.  They had almost finished when they heard the door squeak open.

Bucky and Mini entered the kitchen, Bucky moving to Mina and snuggling closer to her.  Mini grinned, “Still got the two of them wrapped around your little fingers I see.”

Mina blushed and cleared her throat, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure, sure,” Mini murmured with a sly look on her face.

Steve coughed trying to hide his embarrassment.  Bucky looked like he could care less if people knew the nature of their relationship.  All he cared about was being in Mina’s arms, safe and not being used to kill innocent people anymore.  Mina extracted herself from Bucky’s arms to finish the tea while the others took their places around the table.

Bucky began asking Mini about more information on Rebecca seeing how her life had turned out after the war.  Henry had survived and came home to Rebecca and had Mina. Later when more of the Gaspari clan had come over Mini had become friends with Leo and later fallen in love with him.

Bucky listened to everything, absorbing all he could, Mina knew that if he could he would be writing in a journal.  That was what he had been doing as he remembered things. He would write the memories in a little leather-bound journal.

So far he had been through three and Mina had made a run to get more for him.  She helped him as much as she could. She would sit with him as he wrote and sometimes answering questions he had, wondering if he had gotten a memory right or not.  Steve would join them some days, but most of the time he was trying to clean up the mess from D.C..

Bucky had been called to court at the end of the month to go over his crimes as the Winter Soldier, but Tony promised that since he had been brainwashed by HYDRA and was a prisoner of war things should go smoothly for him.

Mina was still worried though, she was afraid that they would take him from her.  And she didn’t want that to happen, she couldn’t lose him again.

When they got back to the tower Mina changed into her workout clothes and went to find Natasha.  She needed to work out some of her worries and frustrations. Bucky and Steve both took notice as she hurried out of the room.

“She’s still worried about your trial,” Steve said as he glanced at his best friend.  “Give her time to cool down.”

Bucky glanced at the door she had just gone through.  “Steve, can I have some alone time with her tonight? I just need to talk to her, be alone with her.”

“Of course, I’ll stay in one of the other rooms.”  Steve grabbed a bag and packed what he would need for the night.  “Just let Jarvis know if you need me for anything.”

“I will,” Bucky promised.

 

Mina came back to the room sweating and breathing heavy.  Natasha had not gone easy on her while they had trained together.  Her friend had seen that something was troubling her and that she needed to work out her frustrations, no holds barred.

She paused though when she saw that it was only Bucky was in the room, “Where’s Stevie?”

“I asked him to give us the night alone, doll.  We need to talk,” he pressed a kiss to her cheek.  “Take a shower and get comfortable.”

She frowned, she didn’t like the tone of his voice.  “I don’t like how this conversation has started. We should talk now.”

“Shower and then we’ll talk,” Bucky insisted.

Mina reluctantly entered the shower, not liking the tone of Bucky’s voice or how he looked.  She stood under the spray of water and let it flow down her sore and tired muscles. Her mind still focused on what Bucky could possibly want.

When she stepped back into the room her hair was dampening her shirt and Bucky was sitting on the bed his eyes focused on the wall.  He was a million miles away, but the moment he heard the bathroom door opened he looked over at her. He opened his arms and she crawled onto the bed and nestled into his embrace.  “What did you need to talk about with me, Buck?”

“The trial,” he said.  “I know it’s bothering you.”

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well we’re going to because I hate seeing you like this,” he lifted her face to his.  “Mina, I’m not scared. I’ll take whatever punishment they give me if that’s what they decide to do.”

She pulled away from him, “No.  You will not just lay down and take what they give you, James Buchanan Barnes, and you want to know why?”  She didn’t wait for him to respond. “Because they used you as a weapon. They brainwashed you and told you to kill all those people.  That wasn’t you that was HYDRA, they were manipulating you.”

“I almost killed you!”  He shouted at her. Her breath caught and her eyes widened.  “That night that I finally let you see me, that I came into yours and Steve’s home, I was supposed to end you.  I couldn’t do it! But you know what? I still live with that guilt, you were the one that got away, the lucky one.  I was strong enough to resist the urge to kill you, but I couldn’t resist the urge to not kill the others.”

She reached out to him, “Bucky--”

He wrenched away from her, “No, don’t touch me right now.”  He moved over to the wall and kept his back to her. “If I had that control over myself then, then how come I couldn’t stop myself all those other times?”  His shoulders slumped, “I think you should go stay with Steve tonight.”

It was Mina’s turn to get angry, “No, you don’t get to push me away.  Not like this.”

He whirled around, “I killed people, Mina!”

“Yeah well so have I!  I killed people for HYDRA as well or did you forget that S.H.I.E.L.D. was a front for HYDRA?”

“That’s not the same and you know it,” he growled.

“Isn’t it?”  She asked. “I am not losing you again.  To death, to prison, to yourself.” She held up her hand where her wedding rings were.  “I will keep reminding you until I am blue in the face that I made a vow. I am tied to you and whether you like it or not I am not going to let you wallow in self-pity.  What happened wasn’t your fault. So you’re going to stop this pity party and first thing in the morning we’re all gonna get some help. You for this, me and Steve for all the shit we’ve been suppressing since waking up.”

Bucky was quiet, “I deserve to be locked up because I’m still a danger to this world.”

Mina furrowed her brow, “What do you mean?”

He tapped his head, “I have trigger words, if anyone were ever to get ahold of them then I could revert back into the Winter Soldier.  I’m still not fully in control, Mina. No matter if you brought my memories back or not, there will always be a chance that I could turn into him.”  He turned and left the room, not wanting to talk any more about this.


	37. Chapter 37

Steve took in Mina’s appearance the next morning and knew that the night hadn’t gone well.  She had dark circles under her eyes and she looked like her movements were robotic. He moved over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, “I take it last night didn’t go well.”

“You would be correct,” there was an emptiness to her voice that he didn’t like.  “He left our room and I haven’t seen him since. I wasn’t able to sleep a wink because I was so worried about him.”

“Jarvis, where is Bucky?”  Steve asked, a pit forming in his stomach.

“Sergeant Barnes is currently talking with Mr. Stark.  They have asked to not be disturbed,” the AI responded.

“Do you think it’s about his case?”  Mina asked as she turned to look at Steve.

Both of them were worried that he would tell Tony about his parents.  They were both trying to figure out the way to break the news to Tony.  How do you tell someone that their best friend and husband murdered their other friend’s parents?

They didn’t have to wait long to figure out what the two of them had talked about.  The kitchen door opened and Tony and Bucky walked through. Both men looked grim, and Mina grabbed Steve’s hand for support.  “He told me,” Tony said. “He told me he was the one that murdered my parents.”

“Tony, we’re--”  Steve started.

He held up his hands stopping Steve’s thought.  “Look I get it, he was brainwashed and a POW. I know it wasn’t him, but right now let me just process this.  And I get why you didn’t tell me. You didn’t know how. How could you? This isn’t ‘sorry I broke that priceless vase that has been in your family for over five generations’ kinda thing.”

“We’re still sorry we kept that from you,” Mina said, her voice soft.

He shrugged, “I’ve called a psychiatrist for all of you.  What you told Bucky was right, Mina. The three of you do need some serious help.  He’ll be here on Friday.” He walked out of the room, telling Jarvis along the way that he was not to be disturbed unless aliens were invading again.

Bucky walked over and pressed a long kiss to Mina’s forehead, “I’m sorry, doll.  I shouldn’t have left last night.”

Mina sighed, just relieved that he was okay, “I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have pushed you like I had.  I’m just scared.”

“What was Tony talking about?”  Steve asked in confusion.

“We’re seeing a therapist,” Bucky told him.  “Mina brought it up last night, and I agree. I need to work through what HYDRA made me do, and you two need to deal with everything that’s happened since I fell from the train.”

“I feel fine,” Steve argued.

Mina arched a brow, “Na-uh, you are not getting out of this.  We have things we need to work through too, and you can’t tell me otherwise.  I saw how you were when we were woken up, Stevie. Therapy will help.”

“Fine, I’ll try it, but only because I saw how it helped some of the people from Sam’s support group,” he conceded.

“Thank you,” she kissed his cheek.  “Now what do we want for breakfast?”

 

Mina and Natasha went out for drinks that night.  “Those super soldiers keep you all to themselves these days,” Natasha said as she sipped on her martini.  “Do they wear you out much?”

Mina swatted Natasha’s arm, “Behave, I’m not telling you that.”

Natasha’s grin became as wide as the Cheshire Cat’s, “Fine don’t tell me.  I’m a little jealous, you have two very attractive men hanging off your every word while I’m over here still very single.”

Mina smirked, “Maybe your luck will change tonight, there’s a man in the corner, he’s been eyeing you all night.”

Natasha cast a subtle look over her shoulder and saw the man Mina had been referring too, “Oh he’s my mark.”

Mina nearly choked on her drink, “You’re what?  I thought this was girls’ night?!”

“It is!”  Natasha insisted.  “But this happens to be the bar he frequents and I’ve been trying to track him down for over a month, he’s got info on some of the HYDRA bases that are still left.”

Mina pouted, “I feel used.”

Natasha patted her hand, “Don’t worry, next time I’ll warn you ahead of time.  Now come dance with me, I want to see if we can entice him.” Mina rolled her eyes, but let Natasha lead her out onto the dancefloor.  

The two of them stumbled into the tower later that night laughing.  “Did you see his face when he saw my flames?!”

Natasha leaned heavily against her, “He cracked like an egg!”

Bucky and Steve were standing in the hallway with their arms crossed over their chests looking like two disapproving parents.  “Where have the two of you been all night?” It was getting close to five A.M. and Steve and Bucky had grown worried. HYDRA was still out there and they were a little worried that something had happened to the two of you.

“Running a mission,” Mina told them with a toothy grin.  “Sorry I didn’t call to let you all know, but  _ someone _ didn’t even tell me until we were there.”

Natasha shrugged, “Sorry boys, but I didn’t want to tell her and then the mark not be there and have her feel like girls’ night was all just a sham.”

“Which it was,” Mina pouted.

“Was not,” Natasha fired back.  “We did girls’ night and then we kicked that guy’s ass.”

Steve closed his eyes, “Why am I not surprised that the two of you would get up to no good when left alone with one another for more than five minutes?”

“Because you know us so well, Rogers,” Natasha patted his chest before sauntering down the hall.  “Jarvis wake me in a few hours!”

“Of course, Miss Romanoff.”

Mina smiled up at her boys, “How was your night without me?”

“Fine until you didn’t show up way past the time all the bars closed,” Bucky said.

Mina felt bad that she had worried them like she had, “I’ll call next time to give you a heads up.”  She yawned and moved past them, “I’m going to bed, wake me in a few hours, we can all go get something to eat.  I’ve been dying for some good pizza.” 

“She hasn’t changed at all,” Bucky sighed.  “A little more sure of herself, but my God that woman does whatever she wants.”

Steve squeezed Bucky’s shoulder, “She’s the female version of me.”

Bucky groaned, “No wonder the two of you were such great friends back in the day.  She probably encouraged your reckless behavior!”

Steve smirked, “Not exactly, but she wasn’t dragging me away from the fights either.”

The two of them headed deeper into the tower to do their own thing.  Bucky went back to their shared room and curled up with Mina, while Steve went to train with Sam in the gym.  The rest of the day passed smoothly, and Mina even made dinner for everyone in the tower that night.

 

When Friday came Mina was sitting on a couch in an office that Tony had told them they could use for their therapy.  The therapist was a woman in her thirties and her name was Lillian. She had a calming presence about her. She wanted to get to know each of them individually before even considering group therapy.

“Tell me a little about yourself, Mina,” she said as the two of them got comfortable.

Mina twisted the ring around on her finger, she knew that the therapist couldn’t talk to anyone about what was said in their session unless she was a danger to herself or others, but it was still weird to share such intimate details with someone that she didn’t know personally.

“Like what?”  She asked.

Lillian shrugged, “Anything, your likes and dislikes, what it was like growing up in the forties, what it was like for you when you woke up.  Anything that you wish to share. All I want to do is get a feel for you and who you are as an individual.”

Mina blew out a breath and tilted her head slightly as she thought about what she should say first, “I mean it was odd, waking up after so long and discovering that I wasn’t dead and that seventy years had passed.  You can’t imagine what it was like being told that everyone but two people you knew were dead. Peggy barely remembers me on her good days, and then there was Steve…. I was so thankful that I still had him. We were best friends back in the day, back before he became Captain America.”

“And what are you now?”

Mina’s cheeks heated, “We’re lovers?  Is that what you would call it? We’re together, have been for a couple of years now.”

Lillian nodded, “Do you love Steve?”

“Yes, of course, I do.  I think I may have always been in love with him on some level, but then there was Bucky.”

“Tell me more about Bucky,” Lillian prompted.

“Bucky was my first love,” she said.  “Steve was the one that set us up, just a few months before the U.S. joined the war actually.  We were close, Buck and I. He was the first man I ever…” She trailed off as she realized where that was about to go.

“The first man you had sex with?”  Mina nodded and Lillian picked up on her unease.  “I’m not going to judge you for that. It’s a perfectly natural thing, and plus this is a very different time, sex isn’t necessarily as taboo as it once was.”

Mina nodded, “It was the night before his sister’s wedding.  He was going to go back to training and it just felt right. Then he was shipped overseas and I went into the military with Steve where I trained to use my abilities.” 

Mina continued to fill Lillian in on her life from the forties to the present day.  She cried several times as she relived some of the more painful memories and Lillian passed her some tissues to use.  When their hour was up she and Mina headed out to where Steve and Bucky were sitting, waiting for their turn.

The two men stood and glanced at a red-eyed Mina.  “I’m fine,” she assured them.

Lillian smiled and said, “Steve, you’re up next.”  Steve stood a bit reluctantly and went in leaving Mina and Bucky outside for an hour.  They didn’t say anything, they just held hands as they waited until Steve came out and took Bucky’s spot.

When all three therapy sessions were done Lillian stood before them, “I’d like to see you all together next week for a group session and then we can go from there and if you need to, you can always call and schedule a private session with me.  I can either come to the tower or you can venture out to my office across town.” She handed each of them her card and bid them farewell as she left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who else was wrecked by Endgame? Because I was an emotional wreck. Please no spoilers in the comments, I will delete those on sight.   
> I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do now once I finish this.....


	38. Chapter 38

“I understand that Bucky’s trial is next week,” Lillian said after her three patients got settled on her couch in the room that had been designated as her office in the Avengers’ tower.  This was her third week seeing the three of them and she could see them warming up to the idea of therapy together. “Do you want to talk about how it’s making each of you feel?”

Steve and Bucky both looked at Mina, she was still the one that was struggling the most with it.  “I’m scared,” Mina admitted. “I’m worried that they’ll take Bucky away from me again. Seventy years, that’s how long it took us to find one another again.  He’s not a bad man, those things he did, they weren’t him. So why should he be punished for something that he couldn’t control?”

Bucky squeezed her knee and Steve gently brushed his lips against her temple, both of them trying to reassure her that at least for now they were both with her.  Lillian watched the exchange and smiled at the gestures, she knew from the moment that she had met them that they were all three incredibly close, and then she had seen just how close they were as the sessions had progressed.

“I believe that Bucky has a good chance of being acquitted,” Lillian said.  “Like you just said, he had no control over his actions, and HYDRA did capture him which makes him a prisoner of war, not a candidate for voluntary acts of violence there.  Plus with everyone’s testimonials it should help the jury and the judge see that Bucky was a victim and not an accomplice to this. I hear Tony is speaking at the trial as well?” They nodded. “Tony said that he would try to get me involved as well so I could speak on what I’ve seen, which I am more than happy to do.”

There was a knock on the door and Natasha poked her head in, “I’m sorry to interrupt, I know this is your therapy time, but we have a lead on a HYDRA base, it’s time to suit up ‘cause we need to move.”

“Go, we can pick this up when you all get back if you have time before the trial.”

Steve, Mina, and Bucky all raced to their room to grab their supplies before heading to the Quinjet where Sam, Tony, and Natasha were waiting for them.  “So where are we heading?”

“Italy,” Tony said as he pulled up the details of the mission they were embarking on.  “Jarvis says that in the northern part, in a deserted area, not much around. We’re thinking they’ve been experimenting there.”

“How many people?”  Mina asked as she folded her arms across her chest.

“We don’t have an accurate read on that,” Natasha informed her.  “We’re guessing no more than fifty though, it’s not a big base.”

“Mina, we want you to sneak in first and see if you can turn off any safety measures they may have and knock as many of them out as you can,” Tony told her.  “Sam will be our eyes in the sky, he’ll be watching our backs from there.”

“All right,” Mina and Sam said together.

Once Mina got in and killed the security protocols Bucky, Steve, Natasha, and Tony would join her inside.  Sam would stay in the air and keep a bird’s eye view for them just in case things went south and they needed to get out as quickly as possible.

They landed the Quinjet and Mina slipped out and moved through the forest to the building situated in the clearing.  She crouched down at the treeline and scanned the area. “What do you see?” She heard Steve’s voice in her ears.

“There are about five guards outside, I can slip by them easily enough,” she told him.  “Sam, am I missing anyone else?”

“There’s three on the south side of the building, but they’re staying put for now,” Sam told her.

“I’m heading in,” she said and stood up from her place and began stealthy making her way across the field to one of the side doors that wasn’t being monitored.  Once there she stood next to the guard and said, “You will unlock the door and head inside.”

The guard snapped to attention and began inputting the security key code to unlock the door.  He pulled it open once the light turned green and stepped inside. Once there she ordered him to show her to the security room.

She instructed the goons in the security room to disable the alarms and then to start tying their friends up and then to do the same to themselves.  She then alerted the others that they could move in on the base while she gathered any intel she could. Tony would be joining her shortly in case there was something she couldn’t do.

Hacking into the computers she tried to download whatever she could find that related to the other HYDRA bases that were still left and to try and figure out who was in charge now that Pierce was dead.

Tony took a seat beside her, his Iron Man suit in sentinel mood, “Find us anything good, Gaspari?”

“A few bases scattered throughout the world, but no word on who’s running the show,” she told him as she pulled out her memory stick.  She pointed to a few files she couldn’t get into. “Those were locked, I was hoping you could get into them more easily than I could.”

Tony wiggled his fingers and got to work on cracking the encryptions on the files.  When they were open he and Mina both let out a curse. “They have Loki’s scepter,” Tony said.  “Guys, they have Loki’s scepter. It looks like they’re going to use it to experiment on people.”

“Where is it?”  She heard Bucky asked.

“Don’t know,” she told him.  “They move it for safety reasons, probably because they don’t want us to know where it is before they’ve been successful in their experimentations.”

Tony hacked into the others files and found the names of the candidates that they had, all of them were marked as dead.  “They’ve already begun the trials. They’re looking for more test subjects now.”

“Well damn,” Natasha said.  “What do we do now?”

“I’ll keep looking for any information on the scepter,” Tony said.  “But this one is going to be a hard one to find since they move it so much.”

“I’m calling local authorities now to come and get the rest of the men here,” Steve said.  “Finish up with the files and then let’s get out of here and back home so we can figure out what our next move will be.”

“Aye, aye Captain,” Tony said causing Mina to chuckle.

The Italian police came and picked up the HYDRA men promising to send them off to the UN as soon as they could so that they could be properly charged for their crimes. “ _Grazi,_ ” Mina called out to them before heading back to the Quinjet with the others.  It had been nice to flex her Italian skills again after so long. She had forgotten what it had been like to hold a conversation longer than a few sentences in her mother tongue.

“Sir, I have a call from Matt Murdock, he’s saying that they’ve moved up Mr. Barnes’s trail to this Friday,” Jarvis said once they were in the air.

Tony looked confused, “Why?”

“With the HYDRA threat you all took down they are worried about leaving Mr. Barnes out if he could be a danger to society.”

Mina clenched her fists, “That’s bullshit.”

“Shhh, it’s okay, doll,” Bucky murmured against her ear.  “They have a right to be worried.”

“No they don’t,” she snapped.  “And we’re going to prove that to them.”

 

When Friday came Mina was up before Steve and Bucky.  She was sitting in the dining room with a steaming cup of coffee and watching as the sun lit up the city.  The door opened and Sam entered the room.

“Hey Mina,” he said as he took a seat next to her.  “How are you feeling?”

She tore her eyes away from the scene before her and looked at Sam, he could see the panic in her eyes despite the blank look on her face.  “Nervous, but hanging in there.”

“He’ll be all right, no matter what the verdict is.  Tony will fight for him, and I know you and Steve will too.  Hell, I’ll even fight for him even though he totaled my car.”

“Which I apologized for,” Bucky said as he opened the door to the dining room and stepped in with Steve.  Both of them kissed Mina’s cheek and sat down. Neither of them were showing any signs of stress over what the day was going to bring.

Mina finished her coffee and excused herself to go get ready.  She was going to be called as one of the witnesses and she wanted to make sure she looked nice.  Bucky watched her go.

When they were all dressed and ready they headed to the court together.  Matt Murdock was with them, “Mina, normally I wouldn’t call a spouse to the stand as a witness, but you and Steve are the only ones left that knew Bucky before he was turned into the Winter Soldier.  Just speak to what you know and answer the questions that I and the other lawyer ask you to the best of your ability.”

She nodded her head, “All right.  Is there anything I should avoid saying?”

He shook his head, “No, you don’t have anything that I’m worried about.  Just say what you can and I’ll make sure it’s over as quickly as I can.” He turned to Steve and began talking to him about what he should and shouldn’t say.  Matt warned both Mina and Steve to not get worked up on the stand because it wouldn’t work out well for them.

They made it into the courtroom, “All rise for.”  Everyone stood. Mina’s heart was beating erratically.

“You may sit,” Judge Caldwell said.  “The case I’m seeing today is the people versus James Barnes, is that correct?”

“Yes, your Honor,” the opposing attorney said.

“Would the witnesses please stand,” Judge Caldwell said.  Mina, Steve, Bucky, Tony, Sam, Natasha, Lillian, and a group of other people stood.  “Mr. Barnes you may stay, but if the witnesses would please be escorted from the room.”

Bucky shot Mina and Steve a panicked look, but Mina squeezed his hand before heading down the aisle and out the door to a private room where they were all supposed to wait until they were called to be questioned.

When the door to the room finally open the woman said, “Mina Gaspari, would you please come with me?”

Mina stood on shaky legs and followed the officer out of the room, she glanced back at Steve who gave her a small thumbs up before the door shut separating them.  Mina squared her shoulders and walked into the courtroom, ready to face whatever was about to be thrown at her.


	39. Chapter 39

Mina took a seat on the stand, her palms sweaty, she had just been sworn in and she already felt like passing out.  Bucky gave her a small smile as Matt approached the bench. “Mrs. Gaspari-Barnes, how long have you known your husband, Mr. Barnes?”

She took in a deep breath to steady herself, she could feel her hands shaking as she clenched them. “Probably over seventy years now.  We met back in 1941, a few months before Pearl Harbor was bombed and the United States joined World War II.”

“And how did you two meet?”

“Through Steve Rogers, Bucky’s best friend.  I had known Steve for about six months at that point.”  She could already feel the memories washing over her, she remembered the day she saw him chasing the men that Steve had tried to fight, the night Steve brought him into the restaurant, and then their first date together.

Matt nodded, “And what was Bucky like before the war?”

Despite her nerves, she smiled softly as she remembered how he had been before the war.  “He was sweet, not a violent bone in his body.  He was a little cocky, but most men were back then.  He cared about his family, was always trying to take care of them.  He once spent his hard earned money on a slice of pie for his sister because he knew it would make her happy.”

Matt smiled, “That sounds nice, and how was he with you?”

“Always the perfect gentleman,” she responded.

“And when he was drafted?”

Mina’s gaze became far off as she recalled those days, the jury and most of the people in the room could see it in her gaze, she was no longer in this time, her body was shaking a bit now too.  “He was scared, he never wanted to fight, he was worried about leaving everyone behind. Especially Steve since he wasn’t well back in those days.  Then he was sent overseas to England and I knew he was really scared.”

“You and Steve were the ones that rescued him from the HYDRA base the first time, correct?”

“Yes, we were.”

“You actually went against orders did you not?”

“We did, Colonel Phillips didn’t want to risk the men it would take to attack the base and get the soldiers back.  Most of them had been presumed dead, Bucky being one of them. Steve wasn’t about to let any of them die.”

“And how did you come to be in the military or even be allowed to run a mission like this?”

“I have gifts, I can turn invisible, make people do as I say, and I can summon flames.”

“And the military thought you would make a good recruit because of that?”

“Well, only Doctor Erskine, Agent Carter, and Colonel Phillips knew about my abilities at the time.  I wanted it that way because I didn’t want to be used by anyone higher than those there. I received my training alongside Steve.”

“What was the condition that you discovered Mr. Barnes in when you found him at the HYDRA base?”

Mina gripped the handles of her seat as she flashed back to that moment, she was breathing heavily as she remembered running through the building trying to find him, wishing that he was okay.  She could smell the damp earth and the smells from the machines as they made weapons for HYDRA.  It still seemed like only yesterday she and Steve had stormed that base together to save their friend and those other men.  “He was strapped to a chair, clearly he had been tortured.  He was weak and disoriented at first before he realized that Steve and I were not a figment of his imagination.”

Matt tried to get away from Bucky being tortured when he heard the distress in her voice, “And then Steve Rogers formed the Howling Commandos and Bucky was a member of that, but were you?”

“In secret yes, the others didn’t know that I was running missions with them.”

“Were you with them when Mr. Barnes was thought to have been killed in action when he fell from the train?”

“No,” she said.  “It was too risky, Colonel Phillips had me stay back.”  She could feel the tears in her eyes, felt them as they trailed down her cheeks. “Bucky and I had been secretly married the night before.  When Steve came back and told me… when he told me that Bucky didn’t make it I was devastated.”

“I can imagine, Mrs. Gaspari-Barnes,” Matt’s tone was sympathetic, he could tell she was on the verge of crying.  “Let’s fast forward now to present day. How long did you know that Mr. Barnes was alive.”

“The day before S.H.I.E.L.D. fell was when I knew for sure.  But before then it was only a suspicion, I thought I had seen him around, watching over me.  I thought it was just part of my PTSD at first, but something told me that it wasn’t, that he was actually there.”

“Tell us about the night you discovered that he was still alive.”

Mina was quiet for a moment trying to collect her thoughts, “Steve had been sent away on a mission, I was at our house going through files trying to find links to Bucky from the moment he fell to the present day.  I kept looking at a file about the Winter Soldier. I didn’t want to think that Bucky could be capable of such horrors and then there he was at my back window. I used my abilities to get him to come inside, he was going to run, but I had to be sure that it was actually him.”

“Were you scared?”

“Never.  I knew that he wasn’t my Bucky, but I knew that something had been done to him.”

“Elaborate on the phrase ‘my Bucky’ please,” Matt requested.

“It was like he was a shell of who he used to be.  He didn’t know who he was, he didn’t know who I was.  That wasn’t James Barnes, that was the Winter Soldier.”

“Did he try to hurt you?”

“No.”

“How did he slip away from you?”

“He sedated me, I woke up in my bed the next morning with a string of texts from Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff telling me that Fury was dead and that something was going down, that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been compromised.”

“And that was when you discovered Steve and Bucky fighting, correct?”

“Yes.”

“What happened after that?”

“S.H.I.E.L.D. agents came and started arresting Steve, Natasha, and Sam Wilson.  I turned invisible and went after Bucky. I found him in an alley, well he found me, I tried using my powers on him again this time to help him remember and it worked.  He didn’t remember everything, but he remembered enough to know who I was and who Steve was.”

“And he helped you and the others fight the HYDRA agents that had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. correct?”

“He did,” she replied.

“No further questions, your Honor,” Matt said as he headed back to where Bucky was seated.

“Counselor Anders, you may question the witness now,” Judge Caldwell said.

“Mrs. Gaspari-Barnes, you said that you used your abilities on him twice after you discovered that he was still alive.  The first time to get him to come back and the next time to get him to remember who he was. Why not just get him to remember himself and you that night at your house when you had him there?”

“I was shocked to discover that he was still alive,” she explained.  “Can you imagine what that was like for me? I believed my husband died in a ravine somewhere in Switzerland over seventy years ago and then suddenly he’s standing in my home, alive, but he can’t remember me.  I wasn't in the right mindset to even get him to remember who I was.  It wasn't until I found him after the fight that it even occurred to me that I might be able to help him remember some of his past.”

“Mrs. Gaspari-Barnes, is your husband a bad man?”

“Objection your Honor,” Matt stood up.  

“Sustained,” Judge Caldwell said.

Anders didn’t seem surprised by this, but he knew he had gotten under Mina’s skin for the way she narrowed her eyes and how there seemed to glow slightly.  He knew poking her might cause her to get angry and possibly slip up.  “You claim he would never hurt you but yet he sedated you. Did that not scare you?”

“No, like I said, I knew he wouldn’t hurt me,” her voice was low, she knew what game he was playing and she wasn't going to let him bait her.

“Why was he there that night?”

“He told me that HYDRA wanted him to keep a close eye on me.”

“Is that what he was doing there that night?”

Mina gritted her teeth, she knew she couldn’t lie, “No, HYDRA wanted him to kill me that night.”

“And he didn’t. So how come Mr. Barnes couldn’t show that kind of restraint to the dozens he murdered before?”

“Possibly because some part of him remembered me,” she answered. 

“Then wouldn’t the same be said for Mr. Howard Stark?”  You could hear a pin drop in the silence.  Everyone had been expecting them to bring Howard up.  How could they not?  

“I don’t know,” she said quietly. 

“No further questions, your Honor,” Anders said as he walked away smugly. 

Judge Caldwell looked Matt, “Would you like to question the witness again?”

“No, your Honor. I have no further questions,” he responded.

“Mrs. Gaspari-Barnes, you are free to go,” Judge Caldwell said. 

Mina stood on shaky legs and walked over to sit behind Bucky.  She felt as if she were in a daze and when Bucky turned to look at her he gave her a reassuring smile to let her know she did well.  She wanted to reach out and hold his hand, but she kept them clenched in her lap.

They called Steve next. He faced the same kind of questions that Mina had. When they were done he joined Mina and took her hand, both of them silently supporting the other, Mina glad that she was no longer alone.  Then Tony was called to the stand.

Matt went through his question and then up stepped Anders, “Isn’t it true that Mr. Barnes killed your parents?”

“It is,” Tony responded, Mina saw his jaw tense slightly, and her heart went out to Tony.  This couldn't have been easy on him.

Anders paced in front of the stand, “And yet you’re letting him stay in Avengers’ tower?”

Tony nodded, his expression neutral as he answered the question, “I am because he wasn’t in control of his mind at the time.”

“So no anger or resentment?”

“In the beginning when I found out I was angry.  This was the man who murdered my parents after all, of course, there were going to be hard feelings.  But then I realized that he was just as much a victim as my parents were.  Why blame someone that was brainwashed and tortured for seventy some years when they couldn't control their actions?  That’s when I decided to hire a therapist for him to see if that could help him and his recovery from all that he had suffered at HYDRA's hands.”

“So he’s getting professional help?”

“Yes he is.”

Anders said he had no further questions and stepped down.  Natasha was next and then a few other witnesses. Sam came next followed by Lillian.  Each one of them spoke about how Bucky had been after remembering his past. Anders tried to catch them in a fabricated lie, but there was nothing to lie about.

Judge Caldwell called for a recess while the jury deliberated one what Bucky’s verdict would be.  Mina, Bucky, and Steve huddled with their friends in the courtroom while they waited. They weren’t sure how long it would be.  Did the jury think he was worthy of being saved?

Over two hours had passed when the jury came back out and everyone took their seats.

Judge Caldwell looked at the jury, “What is your verdict on Barnes versus the people?”

One of the jurors stood up, “We have found Mr. Barnes, not guilty.  We agree that he was a prisoner of war and was brainwashed and forced to do those terrible deeds.”

Mina’s eyes closed and she smiled, relieved to hear that they felt the same way they all did about Bucky.  Bucky stood and picked Mina up, twirling her around in a circle. Steve patted him on the back and then they too shared a hug.  Natasha threw her arms around Mina and squeezed. 

Matt shook hands with Tony and Bucky.  “Thank you,” Bucky said to both Matt and Tony.

“Anytime,” Matt grinned before heading out of the courtroom.

“Where should we go to celebrate?”  Tony asked.

Mina grinned, “Let’s go to Little Slice of Napoli, I could use a slice."

Mini showed up at Little Slice of Napoli and hugged Bucky as soon as he walked through the door.  “I knew they wouldn’t lock you up, Uncle Buck. I told Mina as well.”

He grinned down at his niece, “That you did, Mini, that you did.”  He kissed her cheek and hugged her again, she reminded him so much of Rebecca that it was almost like having her back once again.

The Barnes and Gaspari clans cheered for Bucky and everyone began working on the pizzas.  Mina stepped back into the kitchen to help, telling Steve and Bucky to wait with the others.  She and her family began their work and she showed them tips and tricks that hadn’t been passed down by her father when he handed the business over to the others.

Twenty minutes later they were bringing out pizzas of all varieties.  Slice after slice was devoured by the family as they laughed and talked together.  

When the night came to a close everyone helped clean up and then parted ways with one another to head back to their homes for the evening.  Mina let Steve lift her into his arms when they reached the Tower and carry her up to their room. She was tired and neither of the boys could blame her.  It had been a stressful day and they were all tired.

Each of them got ready for bed and climbed in under the covers.  “Love you,” Mina murmured to her soldiers.

“Love you too,” they responded before shutting their eyes and drifting off to sleep.


	40. Chapter 40

Almost a year had passed since Bucky’s trial and they had been looking for a way to shut down the rest of the HYDRA bases that were still lingering out in the world.  Fury would pass along any information that he had gathered and Mina would inform the others. Thor even came back to try and find Loki’s scepter.

“Lady Mina!”  He bellowed as he entered the tower and saw her standing there waiting for him to arrive.  The others were there waiting to greet the god as well. “It is good to see you again.”

He bent down and picked her up in his arms, squeezing her tightly in his arms.  Bucky stepped forward not liking the new blond stranger squeezing his girl so tightly like that, but Steve held out a hand and stopped him.  “He’s just really friendly.”

Bucky relaxed, but he still felt a little off put by the stranger.  Thor let Mina go and she righted herself, trying to catch the breath she lost by Thor’s hug.  “Steve!” The two men embraced and then Thor looked at Bucky and Sam standing there behind Steve.  “And who are these two?”

“Thor, this is my friend Bucky from my time in the military and then this is Sam, a newer friend.”

Thor shook their hands, “Pleasure meeting both of you.”

Sam and Bucky were a little too dazed to say anything to him.  Thor moved on to the others. Clint had joined the effort again after being away for a bit.  Mina had playfully slapped him on the shoulder and asked him where he had been when they were fighting in D.C., to which he cryptically replied that he had been away.  Mina merely shrugged it off, she knew Clint was a private person and if he didn’t want to share she wasn’t going to force the truth out of him.

“So where is Loki’s scepter?  Do we have a location on it?” Thor asked as they made their way down the halls together.

“Not yet,” Bruce was saying.  “But we’re working on it now. We have it narrowed down to Europe.”

“Good, I will offer what assistance I can,” he said.  

Mina and the others let Tony, Bruce, and Thor go off to do their own thing.  Mina turned to Clint, “Mind helping me learn how to show and arrow?”

“Sure, I don’t see why not.  Why the sudden interest?” He asked as they too moved away from the group.

There was a spark in Mina’s eye and he knew she had a plan up her sleeve.  “I want to see if I can use them with my abilities, in case we ever get in a bind and I need to use a weapon.  Bucky’s been showing me how to fire a gun properly, and I thought you would be best if you showed me how to properly use a bow and arrow.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he told her as they broke off from the rest of the group and headed for the weapons range.  “So I see things are working out between you and the soldiers.”

She snorted, “Is this your way of saying I told you so?”

He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, “Maybe it is, but I knew you two would be happy with one another.  What’d Bucky think we he remembered who he was and found out that the two of you were together?”

Mina shoved the weapons range door open and stepped inside, “He wasn’t surprised and handled it very well.  I was worried I was going to have to get between the two of them when he found out, but that wasn’t an issue.”

“Out of everyone in the world he probably trusted Steve with you the most,” Clint said as he grabbed one of the bows and a quiver full of arrows for you.  “Now tell me what’s going on in that devious mind of yours. Why do you want to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow?”

Her hands caught fire and she took one of the arrows, willing the tip to catch on fire as well.  “I thought that this might come in handy one day if need be.”

“I can respect that, I’ll help you,” Clint told her as he grabbed his own set of arrows from the weapon’s room.

Mina got the hang of it after a few hours, but she still needed to work on her aim which Clint promised would only get better with practice.  The two of them exited the weapons area together and headed toward the kitchen where everyone had seemed to gather for lunch.

Mina took her usual spot in between Steve and Bucky and grabbed at one of the subs that Tony had ordered for everyone.  They introduced Bucky to everyone that he didn’t know and they shared stories with one another.

“Saw the trial on TV,” Clint said before he popped a chip into his mouth.  “That seemed brutal. Mina the questions that one asshole threw at you. I thought you were gonna cry.”

“I thought I was too,” she said with a laugh.  “I don’t know how I managed to hold it all in.”

“Because you’re stronger than you think,” Steve said as he kissed the side of her head causing her to blush.

“Flatterer,” she playfully elbowed him in the ribs.  

“Well it’s all over now,” Tony said.  “Bucky is a free man and I would really like to focus on something good before we go after the HYDRA base and Loki’s scepter.”

“I am very eager to get my hands on that scepter,” Thor began saying.  “I’d really like to get that out of human hands before any more damage can be done.”

“Don’t worry Point Break,” Tony slapped Thor on his back.  “We’ll get it back to you soon enough.”

Lunch continued each of them falling into their own conversations as they reacquainted each other with one another.

 

A few days later before Mina and the team were set to head to Sokovia to try and get the scepter back from a man called Struker, Mina was practicing with the bow and arrows again.  She was in the weapons room by herself as she fired off several arrows. Mina was getting better at it with what little practice she had had in the past.

The door to the training room opened and Clint stepped inside.  She paused and turned to face him, proudly showing him the target she had been working with.  He clapped for her, “Getting better there Mina.”

“Thanks, I’ve been practicing a lot, but this is the easy part, deciding if my powers will work with it will be the real test.”  She leaned against the table where there were a few more arrows laying waiting for her to pick them up and use them. “What can I do for you?”

Clint hesitated and she could tell that there was something on his mind, something important.  “If I tell you this will you promise not to tell the others?” He sighed, “I know how close to Rogers and Barnes you are and I don’t want you keeping something from them if it will make you uncomfortable.”

“Clint, I kept my powers a secret for so long and the only people that knew were my parents.  Steve and Bucky didn’t find out until we were all in the military together. I can keep a secret if you ask me too, but if it’s making you this uncomfortable you don’t need to tell me.”  She reached out and squeezed his shoulder in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture.

He took a deep breath and pulled a picture from his back pocket.  He showed it to her and in it she saw Clint, a pretty woman with long dark hair and a beautiful smile, and two kids that looked like a mix of the woman and Clint.  Mina’s eyes widened and she looked up at Clint, “You have a family?”

He nodded, “I do, have for a while now.”

She looked back down at the photo, “Why don’t the others know?”

“Fury and Natasha are the only ones that know.  Fury helped me set it up when I joined S.H.I.E.L.D. I wanted them to be protected in case I was ever compromised.  I knew that having a secret location and not telling anyone about their existence would keep them safe.”

She handed the photo back to him, “Why are you telling me then?”

“Because I trust you and I know that if something ever happened to me, you and Nat would make sure that nothing bad happened to them.  I just… I want to make sure that they’re safe.”

She could understand that.  She pulled Clint into her arms, “I promise I won’t tell the others and that I’ll keep them safe, but Clint, nothing bad is ever going to happen to you.”

He pulled away and chuckled, “You psychic now, Gaspari?”

One side of her mouth tipped up into a half smile, “You never know, Barton.  I might know the fate of everyone here.”

“I’ll let you meet them some time, maybe after this mission is over you and I can go to my farm and I’ll introduce you to everyone.  Laura, my wife, is pregnant again. Lila and Cooper are my two kids. Natasha was hoping my third child was gonna be a girl, but I haven’t broken the news to her that the tests say the baby’s gonna be a boy.”

Mina laughed, “Oh she’ll be thrilled when she learns the truth.”

The door to the training room opened and Steve stuck his head in, “Suit up, we just got the all clear and are going after Strucker and his men and hopefully get the scepter back.”

Clint held out an arm and said, “Lady first.”

Mina set the bow off to the side and hurried from the room to go get her suit.  Steve stopped Clint, “Everything okay?”

Clint nodded, “Yeah, just giving her some pointers.”

Steve figured there was more to it than that, but he didn’t press the archer for more information and let him head down the hall to suit up before joining them on the Quinjet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I thought I would have this chapter done sooner. I hope you enjoy it.


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